Russia has warned the US of "grave repercussions" if it strikes the Syrian regime over a suspected chemical weapons attack.
After Donald Trump revealed he will make "major decisions" over the next 24 to 48 hours on a response to a "barbaric" and "heinous" attack, the US President was alerted to a possible Russian reaction to military action.
At a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York, Russia's envoy Vassily Nebenzia insisted there was "no chemical weapons attack", despite reports 70 people were killed and 500 injured in the city of Douma on Saturday.
He added: "Through the relevant channels we already conveyed to the US that armed force under mendacious pretext against Syria – where, at the request of the legitimate government of a country, Russian troops have been deployed – could lead to grave repercussions."
President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, which is backed by Russia, has also denied being responsible for the attack.
Mr Trump earlier declared the US will "know the answers quite soon" over the Douma attack, as he suggested those responsible could be Syria, Russia, Iran or "all of them together".
Meanwhile, Theresa May has suggested President al-Assad is to blame.
The Prime Minister said, if confirmed as a chemical weapons attack, it would be "yet another example of the Assad regime's brutality and brazen disregard for its own people".
Mr Nebenzia claimed Russia is being "unpardonably threatened" by the US and UK with a tone that "has gone beyond the threshold of what is acceptable, even during the Cold War".
He also claimed experts from the international chemical weapons watchdog should fly to Syria to probe the allegations, as he offered them protection in their work via Syrian authorities and Russian troops in the country.
However, Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN, insisted America "will respond" whether the UN Security Council acts or not.
She said: "We are on the edge of a dangerous precipice. The great evil of chemical weapons use that once unified the world in opposition is on the verge of becoming the new normal.
"The international community must not let this happen. We have reached the moment when the world must see justice done.
"History will record this as the moment when the Security Council either discharged its duty, or demonstrated its utter and complete failure to protect the people of Syria.
"Either way, the United States will respond."
More from Syria
Mrs Haley added "the monster" responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria "has no conscience", as she told Moscow its "hands are all covered in the blood of Syria children".
More follows…
Russia has warned the US of "grave repercussions" if it strikes the Syrian regime over a suspected chemical weapons attack.
After Donald Trump revealed he will make "major decisions" over the next 24 to 48 hours on a response to a "barbaric" and "heinous" attack, the US President was alerted to a possible Russian reaction to military action.
At a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York, Russia's envoy Vassily Nebenzia insisted there was "no chemical weapons attack", despite reports 70 people were killed and 500 injured in the city of Douma on Saturday.
He added: "Through the relevant channels we already conveyed to the US that armed force under mendacious pretext against Syria – where, at the request of the legitimate government of a country, Russian troops have been deployed – could lead to grave repercussions."
President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, which is backed by Russia, has also denied being responsible for the attack.
Mr Trump earlier declared the US will "know the answers quite soon" over the Douma attack, as he suggested those responsible could be Syria, Russia, Iran or "all of them together".
Meanwhile, Theresa May has suggested President al-Assad is to blame.
The Prime Minister said, if confirmed as a chemical weapons attack, it would be "yet another example of the Assad regime's brutality and brazen disregard for its own people".
Mr Nebenzia claimed Russia is being "unpardonably threatened" by the US and UK with a tone that "has gone beyond the threshold of what is acceptable, even during the Cold War".
He also claimed experts from the international chemical weapons watchdog should fly to Syria to probe the allegations, as he offered them protection in their work via Syrian authorities and Russian troops in the country.
However, Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN, insisted America "will respond" whether the UN Security Council acts or not.
She said: "We are on the edge of a dangerous precipice. The great evil of chemical weapons use that once unified the world in opposition is on the verge of becoming the new normal.
"The international community must not let this happen. We have reached the moment when the world must see justice done.
"History will record this as the moment when the Security Council either discharged its duty, or demonstrated its utter and complete failure to protect the people of Syria.
"Either way, the United States will respond."
More from Syria
Mrs Haley added "the monster" responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria "has no conscience", as she told Moscow its "hands are all covered in the blood of Syria children".
More follows…
