Russia warns US response to Syria 'chemical weapons' attack could be met by 'grave repercussions'
Moscow dismisses suspected chemical weapons attack as 'fake news'
Donald Trump has vowed to respond āforcefullyā to a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, as Russia warned US military action would be met with āgrave repercussions.ā
President Trump told a meeting of military leaders and national security advisers he would make a decision on a response by Monday night āor very shortly after.ā
He said the United States had āa lot of options militarilyā on Syria.
āBut we canāt let atrocities like we all witnessed... we canāt let that happen in our world... especially when weāre able to because of the power of the United States, the power of our country, weāre able to stop it.ā
He added: āWe have a lot of options militarily, and weāll be letting you know pretty soon. Probably after the fact.ā
The Syrian government was accused of being behind an alleged chemical weapons attack which killed at least 60 people late on Saturday, with more than 1,000 injured at several sites in Douma, a rebel-held town in eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, according to a Syrian aid organisation.
President Trumpās comments came after Moscowās ambassador to the UN warned of potential consequences of Western intervention in Syria

During heated exchanges at the UN Security Council, Vassily Nebenzia said US attacks on Syria ācould lead to grave repercussions.ā
The US ambassador, Nikki Haley, accused Russia of having āthe blood of Syrian childrenā on its hands.
Mr Nebenzia dismissed claims the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons as āfake newsā as he called for inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to fly to Syria on Tuesday to visit the site of the alleged attack.
Ms Haley urged the UN to take action, but stressed whether it acts or not āeither way, the United States will respondā.
She added: āMeetings are ongoing. Important decisions are being weighed, even as we speak.ā

When Mr Trump was asked if Russiaās president, Vladimir Putin, bore any responsibility for the attack, he responded: āHe may, yeah, he may. And if he does itās going to be very tough, very tough.ā He added: āEverybodyās gonna pay a price. He will. Everybody will.ā
He criticised Mr Putin by name on Twitter, as he castigated Russia and Iran for backing Bashar al-Assad, who he called an āanimal.ā
Almost exactly a year ago, the US fired cruise missiles at a Syrian air base in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.
The missile strikes did little long-term damage to Syrian government forces, and Mr Assadās position has only became stronger with Russian and Iranian support.
Amid the discussions in the White House, the US military appeared to manoeuvre into position to carry out any attack order.
The USS Donald Cook, a guided missile destroyer armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, was underway in the eastern Mediterranean after completing a port call in Cyprus.
President Trump and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, spoke twice in less than 24 hours to coordinate their response, the White House said.
Mr Macron and Mr Trump reiterated their desire for a āstrong reactionā from the international community, Mr Macronās office said.
Theresa May said that the UK was considering what action was necessary in response to the ābarbaricā attack.
Asked if the UK would join any US-led military action in Syria, the prime minister said: āWhat we are currently doing is working urgently with our allies to assess what has happened here.
āWe... are working urgently with our allies to asses what has happened. But, we are also working with our allies on any action that is necessary.ā

Ms May sidestepped a question on whether Parliament would be recalled from recess to debate any military intervention.
William Hague, the former Conservative foreign secretary, said he had ālittle doubtā if he was still in office he would recommend military action in Syria.
Lord Hague, who was foreign secretary when then prime minister David Cameron lost a Commons vote he wanted to back action in Syria, said the aftermath of the defeat left the UK āenfeebled spectators of one of the most destructive conflagrations of our timeā.
In February, the current foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said Britain should consider joining military action against the Syrian regime if there is fresh āincontrovertibleā evidence it has used chemical weapons against its own people.
Mr Johnson discussed the situation with the acting US secretary of state, John Sullivan, twice on Monday.
The US State Department said Mr Johnson and his Washington counterpart discussed āpotential further steps the US and UK governments might take in coordination with other partnersā.
The White House deliberations came as Russia and Syria blamed Israel for a pre-dawn air strike on a major air base in central Syria which reportedly killed at least 14 people, including Iranians active in Syria.
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