House Speaker John Boehner turned down meeting with a Russian delegation likely seeking to lobby Congress against a possible U.S. military intervention in Syria, an aide told NBC News Wednesday.
“The speaker has declined the Russian embassy’s request that he meet with a delegation,” said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel. It is unclear how many delegates the Russian embassy planned to dispatch and if they will target other members of Congress.
In a rare display of support for President Obama, Boehner on Monday backed the president’s request of Congress to condone a strike against Syria. Obama signaled to global leaders Wednesday that the international community’s credibility is on the line in holding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad responsible for allegedly using chemical weapons against his own people on Aug. 21, killing more than 1,400.
Obama is expected to continue lobbying for military intervention as world leaders convene at the G-20 economic summit Thursday, which happens to be hosted this year in Russia by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia, a top ally to Assad’s regime, has vocally opposed military intervention in Syria. Putin has said U.S. involvement is “utter nonsense” that “does not follow any logic.”
Amanda Sakuma