Story highlights It was Russia's seventh veto of a Security Council resolution against Syria

The resolution would have condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria

United Nations (CNN) The Trump administration's new US ambassador to the United Nations strongly denounced Russia and China for vetoing a resolution against Syria on Tuesday.

The latest attempt to punish Syrian regime leaders failed after the two permanent members voted against a resolution to impose sanctions for Damascus' use of chemical weapons, the first vetoes by Russia and China before US Ambassador Nikki Haley.

"Russia and China made an outrageous and indefensible choice today," Haley said, speaking in the Security Council chamber after the vote. "It is a sad day on the Security Council when members start making excuses for other member states killing their own people."

She continued, "The world is definitely a more dangerous place. Today, the international community can look no further than the Security Council for contributing to that."

The veto was the seventh time Russia has blocked a Security Council resolution aimed at the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the past five years, protecting its Syrian ally from any diplomatic action. An international investigation found chemical weapons were used by government forces.

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