U.S. envoy says won't allow Syria to be Russian 'bargaining chip' on Ukraine

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, visits the border between Turkey and Syria to assess a long-running U.N. operation delivering humanitarian aid into northwest Syria, near Hatay, Turkey June 2, 2022. REUTERS/Michelle Nichols

The U.S. envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday she plans to meet her Russian counterpart to kick off likely contentious talks over aid deliveries into Syria from Turkey, but she will not let Moscow use the issue as a "bargaining chip" on Ukraine.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has had few interactions with Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia outside meetings of the 15-member U.N. Security council since Moscow invaded neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24.