Russian Presidnet Vladimir Putin at a press conference in Versailles, France                     on 29/5/2017. (Photo: EPA / VNA)

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed on Monday any suggestion that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces were behind a chemical attack that killed dozens of people in Idlib province in April. In an interview with daily newspaper Le Figaro, Putin said there is no proof that chemical weapons were used by Assad. Putin said he offered to organize inspections of the attack site in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, but all the major powers refused. He said the object of the allegations has been to discredit Assad and put pressure on him. The remarks came a day after new French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country's intelligence services in April blamed Assad for the Idlib attack, said the use of chemical weapons in Syria is a red line for France and crossing it will result in reprisals.