Russia says there’s ‘no need to talk to UK’ after Michael Fallon blames them for ‘every civilian death’ in Assad’s chemical attack on the Syrian people
Defence Secretary said Vladimir Putin's Kremlin is responsible ‘by proxy’ because it was the regime's ‘principal backer’
RUSSIA says there is "no need to talk to the UK" after the Defence Secretary has said it is to blame for "every civilian death" as a result of Bashar al-Assad's barbaric chemical attack on his own people.
Sir Michael Fallon said Vladimir Putin's Kremlin was responsible for the brutal killings "by proxy", because it was the Syrian president's "principal backer".
His comments came after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson pulled out of a Moscow visit hours before he was due to fly.
Some 87 people, including children, are believed to have been killed in a suspected sarin nerve agent strike on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.
US president Donald Trump ordered a strike by 59 cruise missiles on the base he said launched the attack in America's first direct attack against the Syrian government.
But a statement from the Russian foreign ministry said the cancellation “once again confirms doubts about the added value of dialogue with the British, who don’t have their own position on the majority of current issues”.
It added that the British have “no real influence on the course of international affairs, remaining ‘in the shadow’ of their strategic partners,” it added.
The Kremlin said: “We don’t believe we need dialogue with London more than (London) needs it (with us).”
Writing in the , Sir Michael said Russia must be part of the solution to ending the ";needless suffering" of Syrian civilians.
He said: "But Assad's principal backer is Russia. By proxy Russia is responsible for every civilian death last week.
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"If Russia wants to be absolved of responsibility for future attacks, Vladimir Putin needs to enforce commitments, to dismantle Assad's chemical weapons arsenal for good, and to get fully engaged with the UN peacekeeping progress."
He also reiterated his support of Mr Trump's cruise missile strike in the early hours of Friday, UK time.
Sir Michael wrote: "By sending Tomahawk missiles to attack the airfield, aeroplanes and equipment believed to be involved, it has sent a strong signal to the Syrian regime to think twice before using gas in the future.”
But he added there must now be a long-term solution to the civil war in which Assad must no longer be president.
The Cabinet minister said: "Someone who uses barrel bombs and chemicals to kill his own people simply cannot be the future leader of Syria."
Mr Johnson is to spearhead demands for Russia to withdraw its forces from Syria when he meets G7 leaders in Italy next week.
He said the UK continues to "deplore" Moscow's defence of Assad's regime as he pulled out of talks with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
But the cancellation, which came after discussions with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson, led to him being criticised as "Washington's poodle".
Mr Tillerson will go ahead with his visit to Russia to "deliver that clear and co-ordinated" message to Moscow, which continues to deny Syrian forces used chemical weapons last week.