LEADERS ATTACK PUTIN FOR SYRIA GAS SILENCE
CONDEMNATION GLOBAL OUTCRY OVER DEATHS Russia brands accusations ‘groundless’ and continues to back Assad regime
WORLD leaders yesterday turned on Russia’s Vladimir Putin for standing by Syria in the wake of the nerve gas attack that killed at least 74.
Prime Minister Theresa May said Moscow should act to stop Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s bombardment of civilians, including children.
She said: “Obviously the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will investigate this soon and establish clearly all the facts around this.
“It is a despicable attack. If it is the case that it has been conducted by the Assad regime, it shows the barbarism of that regime.
“What I would say is all those who are backing that regime, including Russia, need to use their influence to stop Assad from bombarding and dealing with his people in such a horrific way.”
She spoke out after Donald Trump said the gassing of innocent children had crossed “many, many lines”.
The president has yet to spell out how the US could respond. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the priority was a United Nations Security Council resolution.
French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault underlined the message, saying: “The first stage is to get a resolution vote and above all to restart peace negotiations in Geneva. It is not to go in ourselves, under the pretext that the US president may have a rush of blood to the head and get on to a war footing.”
Russia has frustrated UN efforts to agree a resolution condemning the attacks and demanding consequences.
President Putin said it was not acceptable to make “groundless” accusations “without conducting a detailed and unbiased investigation”.