Not so sof t! Trump envoy blasts Russia over Ukraine
DONALD Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations has condemned Russia’s ‘aggressive action’ in eastern Ukraine despite the President having indicated he would go soft on Vladimir Putin.
Nikki Haley used her first appearance at the UN Security Council to attack the Putin regime’s behaviour in the war-torn region.
She struck a noticeably different tone to the man who appointed her to the job. Mr Trump has caused widespread alarm in Europe by promising to repair relations with Moscow and for expressing his admiration for the Russian president.
Mrs Haley acknowledged that the US wanted to improve relations with Russia but insisted the ‘dire situation’ in eastern Ukraine demanded ‘clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions’. Escalating violence in the region, which has been blamed on pro-Russian separatists, must stop, she said.
She made it clear that US sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea would continue.
Mrs Haley said the US stood with the people of Ukraine who ‘have suffered nearly three years under Russian occupation and military intervention’. Her forceful speech provided the strongest attack on Russia since Mr Trump became president and was not the only example of the White House contradicting critics’ predictions that he will take US foreign policy in dangerous directions.
The administration also indicated it may not be as soft on Israel as sceptics have feared. Despite Mr Trump’s vociferous support for America’s main ally in the Middle East, his spokesman warned on Thursday that expanding controversial Jewish settlements on the West Bank ‘may not be helpful’ in achieving peace.
It was revealed this week that Israel had approved 3,000 new homes in West Bank settlements.
The White House has also pulled back on Mr Trump’s pledge to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move which would incense Palestinians who regard the latter as their capital.
But the Trump administration has not moderated its aggressive stance on Iran and last night imposed sanctions on 13 people and 12 companies in response to an Iranian ballistic missile test.
A US Treasury spokesman said it was only part of its efforts to ‘counter Iranian malign activity’ that fell outside the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.
As part of its agreement to stop its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief, Iran had agreed to an eight-year extension to a UN ban on it developing ballistic missiles.
Mr Trump yesterday went on Twitter to warn: ‘Iran is playing with fire – they don’t appreciate how “kind” President Obama was to them. Not me!’ Iran predicted that the US ‘will be the final loser’. ÷ White House aide Kellyanne Conway was derided yesterday for inventing a non-existent terror attack to justify Mr Trump’s travel ban on people from seven mainly Muslim countries. She referred in a TV interview to two Iraqi refugees being the masterminds of the ‘Bowling Green massacre’ which ‘most people don’t know about’. It is believed she got confused with the case of two Iraqis living in Bowling Green, Kentucky, who were jailed for trying to send money and weapons to Al Qaeda in Iraq.
‘Iran is playing with fire’