Germany and France have re-stated their position that a war on Iraq without UN backing is not justified.
France said the world did not back President Bush's ultimatum to Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq within 48 hours or face military action.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said the threat posed by Iraq does not justify a war that will mean the deaths of thousands of innocent people.
The office of French President Jacques Chirac said in a statement the United Nations Security Council opposed the move, and that ignoring international opinion would carry a "heavy responsibility".
"This unilateral decision is contrary to the wishes of the Security Council and of the international community, who wish to pursue the disarmament of Iraq in accordance with resolution 1441," the statement said.
"Whatever the objective pursued, France recalls that only the Security Council has the authority to justify the use of force," it added.
"Shirking the legitimacy of the United Nations, privileging force over justice, that would be taking on a heavy responsibility," the statement said.
Mr Chirac, who has led Western opposition to a war in Iraq, had pledged to veto any UN resolution backing war in Iraq.
Russia, for its part, believes there are no grounds for saying that time has run out for solving the Iraq crisis through diplomacy, a foreign ministry spokesman said today.
The United States yesterday abandoned diplomatic efforts to push through a joint proposal with Britain and Spain paving the way for military action after failing to secure enough votes for the Security Council to pass the new resolution.
France wants weapons inspectors to continue their work, saying that there is evidence inspections are producing results and war should always be a last resort.
Paris backed resolution 1441, which was unanimously voted through by the Security Council last year, demanding Saddam disarm or face "serious consequences".