Putin Dismisses Evidence of Chemical Attack But Won’t “Rule Out” Backing Force

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that any military strikes without UN approval would be “aggression"

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that any military strikes without UN approval would be “aggression,” warning the United States and its allies against taking one-sided military action, the BBC reported. But he said he would not “rule out” approving a military operation against Syria if it was proved “beyond doubt” that the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons against its own people.

The comments were made in an interview with the Associated Press and Russia’s First Channel just one day before the G20 summit opens in St. Petersburg. While saying that Russia would not rule out military force, he added that it was “ludicrous” that Syrian President Bashar Assad would use chemical weapons at this time.

“We have no data that those chemical substances – it is not yet clear whether it was chemical weapons or simply some harmful chemical substances – were used precisely by the official government army,” he said according to Reuters. Until now Putin has said Russia would not back a UN resolution to use force against Syria.

[BBC]
[Reuters]
[Guardian]