Putin warns of 'chaos' if US strikes Syria again
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the phone, according to a press release on the Kremlin’s website. The presidents “exchanged opinions on the situation following the missile strike by the US and their allies in Syrian territory”. The phone call was initiated by Iran.
“It was acknowledged that this unlawful action will seriously harm the prospects of a political resolution in Syria. In particular, Vladimir Putin emphasized that if such UN Charter-violating actions continue, it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations,” the Kremlin announced after the phone call.
The Russian president’s representatives noted that Putin and Rouhani also “discussed the overall state of affairs in the Middle East, including the situation in Yemen”. Both politicians “expressed interest in further developing multidimensional Russian-Iranian collaboration and expanding mutual ties in the trade and economic sphere”.
On Saturday, April 14, the armed forces of the US, Britain and France carried out an airstrike against Syria in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma in Eastern Ghouta. Several targets in Damascus and Homs were destroyed, and three casualties were reported. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that a total of 100 missiles were fired at Syrian territory, whereas the Pentagon cited a slightly higher figure – 105.
Putin called the attack an act of aggression. He stressed that the strikes were not sanctioned by the UN Security Council, and that they violated the UN Charter and the principles of international law.
The US announced that it will strike again if the Syrian regime uses chemical weapons again. US Permanent Representative to the UN Nikki Haley said that Washington’s strategy with Syria remains unchanged. “If Damascus uses poisonous gas again, the US is locked and loaded,” she remarked. With respect to the attacks, she said that the US’s response was “weighed, legitimate and proportional”.