Donald Trump has criticised Russia and suggested the US may take on a more forceful role in Syria after a devastating chemical attack killed dozens of civilians.
During a news conference he told reporters that the poison gas attack, which killed at least 72 people, was an "affront to humanity," which had changed his attitude on dealing with the conflict.
:: Latest: Syria post-mortems 'show chemical weapons used'
Mr Trump said the atrocity - which he blamed on Syrian President Bashar al Assad - "crossed many, many lines," but he stopped short of saying how he would tackle the crisis.
In an interview with The New York Times, the President also said Moscow's role in the long-running civil war was "disappointing" - adding it was a "very sad day for Russia because they're aligned".
His remarks came after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Russia needed to "think carefully about their continued support for the Assad regime", as he warned America was in "no doubt" that the embattled Syrian government was responsible for the attack.
Vice President Mike Pence, who was asked on Fox News whether it was time to renew calls for Mr Assad to be ousted from power, said: "Let me be clear, all options are on the table."
Their comments come a matter of days after several senior Trump administration officials said they were no longer focused on removing Mr Assad from power.
Even though many western countries have blamed the Assad regime for the worst chemical attack seen in Syria for four years, Moscow has insisted that Syrian rebels were behind the attack in Idlib province.
Russian officials said they believed the poison gas contamination was the result of a leak from a rebel chemical weapons depot hit by government airstrikes - a theory described by a senior White House official as not credible.
Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Matthew Rycroft, has also challenged Moscow to stop supporting the regime, and said: "What is your plan? What is your plan to stop these horrific senseless attacks? We had a plan and we had the support and you rejected it to protect Assad."
No comments:
Post a Comment