Vladimir Putin warns West over Syria after tetchy G20 Summit meeting
VLADIMIR PUTIN issued a chilling threat last night that Russia will come to the aid of its Syrian ally in the event of an attack from the West.
The Russian president wound up a tense G20 Summit by making clear his readiness to support Bashar Assad’s regime after an outcry over its use of chemical weapons in a suburb of Damascus.
His warning came as it emerged Russia has sent a warship to the eastern Mediterranean, saying only that it was carrying a “special cargo”.
He boasted of supplying weapons to the Syrian regime and made clear the gulf between him and US President Barack Obama. He said: “We hear one another, and understand the arguments but we don’t agree. I don’t agree with his arguments, he doesn’t agree with mine.”
In a joint statement, leaders of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Turkey joined with Britain and the US in calling for an international response against Assad’s regime.
The statement concluded: “The world cannot wait for endless failed processes that can only lead to increased suffering in Syria.”
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel was not a signatory. Putin said she has taken a “very cautious attitude”.
Mr Cameron admitted later to “strong disagreements” during a 35-minute one-to-one meeting with President Putin in the early hours yesterday. But he added: “He says to me that he would like to see further evidence of regime culpability and we will go on providing evidence.”
The PM also announced £52million more in humanitarian aid for victims of the civil war in Syria.