US and EU expel Russian diplomats
WASHINGTON - The United States and 14 members of the European Union have expelled Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy in Britain earlier this month.
Moscow has denied involvement in the incident.
US President Donald Trump ordered 60 diplomats and intelligence officials to leave the country.
"The United States takes this action with NATO allies and partners around the world in response to Russia's use of military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom," said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The 14 EU countries made similar expulsions, European Council President Donald Tusk announced on Monday in Varna, Bulgaria.
Additional measures, including further expulsions within the common EU framework could take place within the coming days and weeks, he added.
Britain has already expelled 23 Russian diplomats, accusing them of being undeclared intelligence agents, which led Russia to expel the same number of British diplomats.
The EU has already recalled its ambassador to Russia.
Russia's Foreign Ministry "strongly protested" the move in a statement, saying on Monday that it would respond to the decision and accusing the countries' governments of blindly following their British allies into confrontation with Moscow.
"It goes without saying that this unfriendly act by this group of countries will not go without notice and we will react to it," the statement said.
Moscow had previously insisted on direct participation in the poisoning investigation.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the actions would make the US safer by "reducing Russia's ability to spy on Americans and to conduct covert operations" that threaten US national security.
"With these steps, the United States and our allies and partners make clear to Russia that its actions have consequences," Sanders said.
Significant action
The move was one of the most significant actions Trump's administration has taken to date to push back on Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Less than a week ago, Trump congratulated Putin by phone for his re-election but didn't raise the spy case, renewing questions about whether the US president is too soft on the Kremlin.
Germany, France and Ukraine were among the European countries who announced expulsions, while Canada said it was planning a similar response.
Sergei Skripal, 66, a former Russian intelligence officer, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury earlier this month.
They remain in critical condition after exposure to a nerve agent, which, according to the British authorities, could have originated from Russia.
Xinhua - Ap - Reuters
(China Daily 03/27/2018 page12)
