Updated at 12:10 p.m.
Russia accused the U.S. of violating international law by carrying out airstrikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime without the approval of the United Nations Security Council, at an emergency session of the body.
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“This is how you want international affairs to be conducted now?” Vasily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, said through a U.N. translator Saturday morning. “This is hooliganism in international relations, and not minor hooliganism, given that we’re talking about major nuclear powers.”
Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, has provided crucial military support to Assad’s regime and vetoed resolutions that would establish an investigative mechanism to investigate reports of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Nebenzia has argued, over several UN meetings in recent days, that the chemical weapons charge is a “pretext” for western countries to try to overthrow Assad.
“It was shameful to hear how in justifying the aggression an article of the U.S. Constitution was mentioned,” Nebenzia said. “It’s time for Washington to learn that the international code of behavior regarding the use of force is regulated by the United Nations charter. It’s interesting how the people of Great Britain and France, what they will think when they find out that their government is taking part in an illegal military adventure by referring to the American constitution.”
Those arguments drew scoffs from western diplomats, who noted Russia’s abiding support for the Assad regime, despite numerous reports of chemical weapons attacks. “It cannot be illegal to use force to prevent killing of such numbers of innocent people,” Karen Pierce, the U.K. ambassador to the U.N., said in response. “I will take no lessons, Mr. President, on international law from Russia.”
U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley likewise contradicted Russia’s claim that Assad is being falsely accused of using chemical weapons, after Nebenzia said that no evidence of chemical weapons’ usage has been found. “The pictures of dead children were not fake news,” Haley said during the meeting.
Russia received some rhetorical support, however, from U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
“It is my duty to remind member states that there is an obligation, particularly when dealing with matters of peace and security, to act consistently with the charter of the United Nations and international law in general,” Guterres said. “The U.N. charter is very clear on these issues.”
But Nebenzia also protested the lack of a UN-approved response to the latest reports, after Russia vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution to assess “accountability” for the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
“I urge the Security Council to assume its responsibilities and fill this gap,” he said. “A lack of accountability emboldens those who use such weapons by providing them with the reassurance of impunity.”
