Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has attributed expulsion of numerous Russian diplomats from EU countries to blackmail pressure from USA. “All this is a result of colossal pressure, colossal blackmail,” which Washington unfortunately utilizes as a tool on an international level, Lavrov said at a conference in Uzbek capital of Tashkent. The procedure merely reflects will of ruling elites, but not that of ordinary citizens.
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Foreign Office spokeswoman Marija Sakharova said to agency Tass that only United States and Great Britain benefited from measures. “The beneficiaries are, of course, ultimately London and Washington, by continuing this russophoben course.”
On Monday, USA, Germany and more than 20 or countries had identified more than 100 Russian diplomats and Secret service personnel in an unprecedented community action. Finally, Ireland also announced expulsion of a Russian diplomat. To solidarisiere his country with Great Britain, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney in Dublin.
Merkel and Trump speak of “strong signal of unity”
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis accused Russian government of “attempted murder” in case of Skripal. It was “quite obvious” that poison attack on Russian ex-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia had been used as a chemical agent. It was first attack with a chemical weapon since World War II in Europe.
When asked wher this was a martial Act, Mattis said it was a model of Russian action, of which President Vladimir Putin seems to believe that y could be denied plausible. As examples he cited Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, a Russian military intervention in eastern Ukraine and interference in US presidential election in 2016.
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In a joint telephone call, Chancellor Angela Merkel and US president Donald Trump welcomed West’s joint response in conflict with Russia. They described coordinated action of EU states and NATO allies as “a strong signal of unity”, as government spokesman Steffen Sally said. According to Elysée Palace, France’s head of state Emmanuel Macron also spoke with Trump. Thus both praised “strong reaction” of West.
“A blow that Russian secret Service will not recover for many years”
British Foreign Minister Johnson called mass expulsion of diplomats a “turning point” in western relations with Russia. It was a “blow that Russian secret Service will not recover for many years,” Johnson wrote in The Times.
Moscow announced an early response to expulsion. “We will answer. No one wants to accept such a meanness, nor will we do that, “said Lavrov.
Meanwhile, NATO has also imposed punitive measures against Russia. Seven Russian diplomats would be expelled, three more Russians would be denied accreditation, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. In addition, Russian delegation will only be allowed to have 20 people in future. This is equivalent to reducing maximum size by ten people.
The main trigger for concerted diplomatic action was poison attack on Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julija at beginning of month at Sourn English Salisbury. According to British data, a neurotoxin developed by Soviet Army in Cold War was used. Currently, experts from Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are investigating samples from crime scene. According to British Prime Minister Theresa May, re is to be information that Russia has been doing research on use of nerve toxins over past ten years.
