The US is expelling 60 Russian diplomats in solidarity with Britain over the nerve agent attack
The United States will expel 60 Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Britain.
The measures were announced on Monday morning, and follow Britain accusing Vladimir Putin's regime of being behind the attack.
Moscow has denied involvement, but evidence presented by Britain privately to allied nations has resulted in widespread condemnation, and the expectation that measures such as this would follow.
It follows Britain's decision to expel 23 diplomats working at Russia's embassy in Britain in the immediate aftermath of the attack, which took place on March 4.
Russia responded in kind, demanding the departure of an equal number of British diplomats working in Moscow.
A White House statement said:
"The United States takes this action in conjunction with our NATO allies and partners around the world in response to Russia's use of a military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom, the latest in its ongoing pattern of destabilizing activities around the world.
"Today's actions make the United States safer by reducing Russia's ability to spy on Americans and to conduct covert operations that threaten America's national security."
Around the same time as the White House made its announcement, Germany's foreign ministry announced that it was expelling four diplomats. Poland announced the same.
The European Union has also temporarily withdrawn its own ambassador to Moscow over the affair, a measure announced last week.
According to The Guardian, eight more European nations are also planning similar measures this week. The countries they listed are:
- France
- Ireland
- The Netherlands
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Bulgaria
- The Czech Republic
- Denmark