Russia criticises UK decision to cancel foreign secretary's visit

Boris Johnson said his priority is talks with G7 countries about Syria and Russia's continued support for Assad

MOSCOW: The decision by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to cancel a visit to Moscow next week shows a lack of understanding of events in Syria, Russia's foreign ministry said on Sunday.

Johnson cancelled the visit, scheduled for April 10, after a
poison gas attack in a rebel-held area of Syria prompted the
United States to launch missile strikes against a Syrian airbase.

I will now not travel to Moscow on Monday 10 April. My priority is talks w/ my #G7 counterparts about Syria and Russia's support for #Assad

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 8, 2017

“My priority is now to continue contact with the US and others in the run up to the G7 meeting on April 10-11,” said Johnson in a statement.

“We deplore Russia’s continued defence of the Assad regime even after the chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians,” he added.

The Russian ministry said the decision to cancel the visit
showed once more that there was little to gain from talking to
Britain, which it said had no real influence over world affairs.

The Russian embassy in UK also decided to pitch in, tweeting a clip from composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "Overture." The composer wrote the piece to commemorate Russia's Patriotic War during which the country succeeded in defeating Napolean's invading forces.

.@BorisJohnson cancelled his visit to Moscow: theatrics for lack of argument? Safer in G7 pack? Listen to our soft power response: pic.twitter.com/PjSa5psT6p

— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) April 8, 2017

US warns of 'own action' after Syria chemical massacre

A chemical gas attack by the Assad regime on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun left around 86 people dead on April 4. Outrage spread across the world as images of the dead and children gasping for air flooded the media.

In response, the US on Friday targeted the Shayrat air base suspected of launching the chemical attack. According to Syrian state media, the US bombing left nine people, including four children dead.