President Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke Tuesday about the investigation into a chemical attack Russia allegedly launched against a former spy in Salisbury.
Trump and May “discussed the United Kingdom’s investigation into the chemical weapon attack on a private citizen and his daughter on British soil,” the White House said in a summary of the call.
May announced Monday the U.K. believed Russia was behind the attack because the nerve agent deployed against ex-spy Sergei Skripal had been manufactured in Russia. British officials have called on Russia to respond to the allegations before Wednesday.
The White House had stopped short this week of joining May in her conclusion that Russia planned and executed the attack on Skripal. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders called the incident “irresponsible” but declined to make any definitive statements about who should bear responsibility for the ambush.
But Trump and May seemingly agreed Tuesday on Russia’s responsibility to weigh in on the details of the attack.
“President Trump agreed with Prime Minister May that the Government of the Russian Federation must provide unambiguous answers regarding how this chemical weapon, developed in Russia, came to be used in the United Kingdom,” the White House said. “The two leaders agreed on the need for consequences for those who use these heinous weapons in flagrant violation of international norms.”
Critics have accused the Trump administration of being too lenient with Russia by moving slowly to implement sanctions against Moscow and by refusing to discuss what measures officials have taken to retaliate against Russians for interfering in the 2016 election.
