UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia has previewed a showdown with the United Nations, United States and Western nations Wednesday over the delivery of humanitarian aid to rebel-held northwest Syria from Turkey. Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected their warnings that closing the only border crossing will leave more than 1 million people without desperately needed food and cause people to die because they lack medicine. The mandate for the Bab al-Hawa crossing from Turkey expires on July 10. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said there is no alternative if the mandate fails. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said many people require the humanitarian assistance to survive. He warned: “A failure to extend the council’s authorization would have devastating consequences.”
