Nikki Haley, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, said Saturday at the second emergency meeting in as many days that the overnight strike against Syrian infrastructure was justified “to deter the use of chemical weapons.”
Haley gave Russia a stern warning about the Syrian regime’s future use of chemical weapons, a warning she said came directly from President Donald Trump.
“I spoke to the president this morning, and he said if the Syrian regime uses poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded,” Haley said.
Saturday’s meeting, like the one that took place on Friday just hours ahead of the strike that took out a research facility, storage bunkers, and other infrastructure that supports Syria’s chemical weapons program, was requested by Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the strike illegal and “an act of aggression on a sovereign state.”
Russian diplomat Vassily Nebenzia was the first to speak at the meeting at the U.N.’s headquarters in New York City and deemed the strike “hooliganism.” He also called for attacks on Syria to cease.
“The whole world is looking at you,” Nebenzia said. “Take a principled step.”
