Boris out in the cold over Russia

Foreign Secretary rebuffed by all sides for failure to secure support for Kremlin sanctions over Syria

BORIS JOHNSON last night insisted Russia could still be hit with tough sanctions because of its support for Syria after he was attacked by ministerial colleagues for failing to build an international coalition to take on Vladimir Putin.

The Foreign Secretary left the G7 summit of foreign ministers without securing backing for his plans after Italy, France and Germany rebuffed him, saying the Russian president must not be “pushed into a corner”.

A communiqué issued by the G7 made no mention of sanctions but included a significant new agreement that Bashar al-Assad cannot stay on as Syrian president.

One minister told The Daily Telegraph the failure to secure an agreement on sanctions – which followed Mr Johnson’s cancellation of a trip to Moscow – had been a “total let-down”.

But a spokesman for Mr Johnson insisted such a view was “completely short-sighted and wrong” because Russian and Syrian military figures would still face sanctions if an independent investigation proved Assad was to blame for last week’s chemical attack and Mr Putin carried on supporting him.

Last night the White House compared Assad to Hitler in his use of chemical weapons and asked the Kremlin “at what point do they realise they are getting on the wrong side of history in a really bad way?”

Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, claimed: “You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn’t descend to using chemical weapons.”

Mr Spicer came under fire for his remarks, with the US-based Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect calling on the president to sack him.

Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, landed in Moscow last night to deliver the G7’s message that Mr Putin could help to solve the Syrian crisis or share Assad’s legacy of destruction.

Mr Tillerson said Russia had either been “incompetent” or failed to take its obligations regarding chemical weapons seriously, but added that the distinction “doesn’t much matter to the dead”.

He added “it is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end” and said of the recent chemical attack: “We cannot let this happen again”.

Mr Johnson faced widespread criticism for failing to secure G7 support for sanctions, and a government source said his credibility had been damaged. The source added: “He is now persona non grata with Russia, they won’t take him seriously. He has blown his bridges with them by cancelling [a visit] for the third time. We have no credibility with the Russians and no additional credibility on the world stage.”

The source claimed there are increasing tensions between Mr Johnson and No 10. “It’s a very difficult moment for him, it was a play to increase his influence but it has backfired.”

Downing Street, however, insisted that Mr Johnson had Theresa May’s full

support. A Number 10 source said: “We are in a stronger position now than we were at the weekend because there is now agreement that Assad must go.”

Mr Johnson’s spokesman also insisted that “everyone around the table” at the G7 had agreed that “sanctions should and would be imposed on those involved in the chemical weapons attack once an investigation happens”.

Mr Putin heightened tensions before Mr Tillerson’s visit by claiming the chemical weapons in Syria were fake and comparing them to the non-existent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, adding: “We have seen it all already.”

He also said Russia had information that the US is planning to launch further attacks in Syria. “We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared,” he said.

Mr Johnson yesterday played down suggestions that Russia knew of the chemical attacks in advance, days after Sir Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, said Mr Putin was responsible for the attacks “by proxy”.

The Foreign Secretary said: “Did they know that Assad was going to unleash chemical weapons? We have no evidence for that, we don’t know whether the Russians were involved at all.”

He said Mr Putin had an opportunity to “reset” relations with the West and join the fight against Isil.

“They have a big strategic choice: Do they want to stick with this guy who is poisoning his own people and poisoning the reputation of Russia, or do they want to be part of the solution?” he told Sky News.

“Of course, everybody understands that Russia has political and strategic interests in Syria. All that can be respected. But at the same time, Russia needs an exit from this disaster in Syria.”

Angelino Alfano, the Italian foreign minister and summit host, told the G7 closing news conference: “We must have a dialogue with Russia and we must not push Russia into a corner. There is no consensus on additional new sanctions as an efficient instrument to deliver the goal we are aiming for.”

Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, said: “The question wasn’t mentioned by anyone except Boris Johnson, but we didn’t talk about it any further.”

‘The question wasn’t mentioned by anyone except Boris Johnson, but we didn’t talk about it any further’