Putin calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council following missile raids by the US, UK and France on Syria even as he considers supplying S-300 missile systems to Syria.

The night-time air-strikes by the American-led forces targeted a Syrian chemical weapon storage facility where more than 100 missiles were deployed. 

“Russia convenes an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss aggressive actions of the US and its allies,” Putin said. 

Russian Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoi said that Moscow was considering supplying S-300 missiles to Syria and “other countries”. It had previously refused to supply such missiles to Syria a few years ago due to pressure coming from western partners. 

Read also: USA, UK, France launch missile strikes in Syria

“We consider it possible to return to examination of this issue not only in regard to Syria but to other countries as well,” Rudskoi said following the US-led airstrikes. 

He claimed that Syria’s defence system had intercepted 71 missiles fired by American, British and French forces on Saturday, and said that in the past year and a half, Russia had been fully restoring Syria’s air defence system. 

US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that action taken by the US forces was 'justified, legitimate and proportionate'. 

“We gave diplomacy chance after chance but Russia has blocked action against Syria’s chemical weapons six times in the UN security council,” she said. 

"Our Syrian strategy has not changed. However, Syria has forced us to take action by its use of chemical weapons. The US is locked and loaded.”