US Secretary of State John Kerry labelled as laughable today Russian claims that a US campaign against the Islamic State is unilateral and violates international law.
"I must say if it weren't so serious what's happening in Ukraine one might almost laugh at the idea of Russia raising the issue of international law or any question of the UN," Kerry told reporters.
He spoke at the end of a meeting in Saudi Arabia, at which 10 Arab states committed to do their share in the fight against IS, which seized large swathes in Iraq and Syria and committed atrocities.
"I am really rather surprised that Russia would dare to assert any notion of international law after what has happened in Crimea and eastern Ukraine," Kerry added.
Russia said today that unilateral US airstrikes on jihadists in Syria would be a crude violation of international law, a day after President Barack Obama said such action was possible.
"In the absence of an appropriate decision of the UN Security Council, such a step would become an act of aggression, a crude violation of the norms of international law," said Alexander Lukashevich, a spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry.
Lukashevich said Moscow welcomed the fact that Washington had acknowledged the threat from the radical Islamists.
"Better late than never, as they say," he said.
But he accused the United States of "double standards" over its support for the opposition in Syria.
