Boris Johnson cancels Russia trip just hours before take-off

PanARMENIAN.Net - Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Secretary, has dramatically cancelled plans to visit Moscow just hours before he was due to fly amid escalating tensions over Syria, The Telegraph said.

The Foreign Office announced on Saturday, April 8 that Johnson would not be visiting Russia for talks in the wake of America’s unilateral air strike on Syria after the use of chemical weapons.

The decision was made after consultation with Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, about how to deal with the developing situation on Friday night.

Sources close to Johnson said he would instead “lead efforts to bring together a coalition of support against ongoing Russian activity and the Syrian regime”.

It is the second time Johnson has delayed the trip, which would have seen him become the first Foreign Secretary to visit Russia for half a decade.

The decision is likely to be seen as a snub by the Russians, who on Friday were said to still be preparing for the visit.

Johnson had been due to hold talks with Sergey Lavrov, his counterpart as Russian foreign minister, after flying out on Sunday.

The pair were expected to have a working lunch before a press conference on Monday. Johnson was also due to meet Russian human rights activists and UK business leaders.

The trip would have made Johnson the first Foreign Secretary to visit Russia since William Hague went to the country in May 2012.

The decision comes after a dramatic downturn in relations between American and Russia after a chemical attack killed more than 70 Syrians, including children.

Western leaders blamed Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian President who is being supported militarily by Russia in the civil war, for the attack.