Russia Knew Syrian Chemical Attack Was Coming

Alfano said the G7 did not want to put Russian Federation in a corner, but rather sought a constructive relationship with Moscow. He said Moscow has lots of questions about the “very ambiguous” and “contradictory” ideas emanating from Washington.

When asked why it is okay to bomb Syria but not okay to assist the Syrian refugees, Spicer said the US took action in Syria to stop the proliferation of chemical weapons, adding that “when you see mass weapons of destruction being used, it should be a concern to every nation, especially our own people”.

“And those countries must also be part of the solution as we hold the Assad regime to account and as we move tangibly forward as an worldwide community to ending this conflict in Syria”.

Britain’s Johnson cancelled a scheduled visit to Moscow Monday, saying his priority was now “to continue contact with the USA and others” ahead of Tillerson’s Russian trip.

The talks will be a major test of Tillerson’s diplomatic skills. “By taking this military action the USA administration has proved its extreme dependence on the opinion of the Washington establishment, which the new president criticized so strongly in his inauguration speech”, Medvedev said.

Ms Bishop insisted the federal government been consistent on Assad and Syria over many years and had not ramped up its rhetoric following last week’s chemical weapons attack which killed at least 80 Syrian people, many of them women and children.

But there was no escaping the here and now, with the attack in Syria still fresh on everyone’s mind. It said the outcome of the discussions is important not only for the U.S. “But if I see them using gas.we have to do something”.

Tillerson again accused Moscow of failing to enforce the 2013 deal meant to get Syria rid of its chemical arsenal. That has put his administration in open dispute with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has stood firmly by Moscow’s ally Assad, who denies blame. The Trump administration has sent mixed signals on Syria and Russian Federation.

“Frankly, Putin is backing a person that’s truly an evil person”, Trump aid in the Fox Business Network interview, referring to Assad.

“I think we have to show a united position and that in these negotiations we should do all we can to get Russian Federation out of Assad’s corner, at least to the point that they are ready to participate in finding a political solution”, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday.

Trump says Syrian President Bashar Assad is “an animal”. But well before his plane landed on the runway, heated words were already flying between the USA secretary of state and Russian officials over the situation in Syria.

It was unclear whether Putin, who once gave Tillerson an “Order of Friendship” award, would grant the visiting American an audience. Tillerson is due to meet with Russian officials on Wednesday, and is expected to meet with Putin and Lavrov.

The Foreign Secretary said US President Donald Trump’s decision to launch cruise missiles against a Syrian air base in response to the regime’s use of sarin nerve agent had “changed the game” and the Russians had to decide which side they were on.

Even before G-7 talks kicked off, Tillerson didn’t miss the opportunity to deliver a pointed reference to the suspected Syrian chemical attack.

Intelligence services from several Western countries dispute that claim.

Meanwhile, the leaders of southern European Union nations said yesterday the U.S. missile strike on the Syrian air base was “understandable”.

Antonova, an American journalist based in Moscow, says that even after the U.S. president approved an attack on Syria, some Russians are just not ready to give up on Trump. It may actually be an opening for more U.S.

But asked about the possibility of further intervention, the secretary of state said Washington’s “first priority” in Syria was to defeat Islamic State terror group, also known as Daesh.

But Russia made clear it had no intention to acquiesce.

“We rededicate ourselves to holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world“, Tillerson told reporters in Sant’Anna di Stazzema.

A day before the Khan Shekhoun attack, Haley indicated the United States had ditched the Obama administration’s policy of removing Assad. US President Donald Trump will attend North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and G7 leaders’ summits in late May – in effect, the diplomatic can has been kicked down the road until then.