Russia should take airstrikes on Syria as a warning over its use of chemical weapons, Theresa May has said.
Speaking in Downing Street after Friday night’s military action against Bashar al Assad’s regime, the Prime Minister said the strikes had been limited in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma last weekend.
Mrs May drew a link with the nerve agent attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, telling a news conference: “We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised – either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere.”
The PM was asked if the strikes had been a warning to Russia and responded: “The action that took place last night was an action which was focused on degrading and deterring the operational capability and the willingness of the Syrian regime to continue to use chemical weapons.
“There have been many instances when we have seen them using those chemical weapons.
“But I believe it should also be a message to others that the international community is not going to stand by and allow chemical weapons to be used with impunity.”
Mrs May said chemical weapons had “all too often” been used in recent times.
“I think it is right that the international community has come together and said we will not accept this,” she added.
The airstrikes on Syria were carried out in a joint operation between the UK, US and France.
US president Donald Trump announced the “precision strikes” on Friday night.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the military action against Syria was “legally questionable” and makes real accountability for war crimes less likely.
Mrs May has been heavily criticised for not recalling Parliament to put the plans to a vote and will go before the Commons on Monday to answer questions about her decision, insisting there was no “alternative path”.