Fourteen European Union member countries are expelling Russian diplomats in response to the March 4 nerve agent attack on a former double agent in England, the EU said Monday.
Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, did not rule out additional expulsions in the coming days and weeks.
Today 14 EU Member States decided to expel Russian diplomats as direct follow-up to #EUCO discussion last week on #SalisburyAttack. Additional measures including further expulsions are not excluded in coming days, weeks.
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 26, 2018
The action from the 14 EU member nations comes after the White House announced the U.S. would expel 60 Russian intelligence officers following the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England.
Of the 60 Russian officials expelled, 48 work at Russian embassies and consulates, and 12 work at the United Nations. The Russian consulate in Seattle will also be closed, the Trump administration said.
Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter, Yulia, were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury, England.
The British government determined Russia was responsible for the attack, and the leaders of the U.S., Germany, and France joined British Prime Minister Theresa May in blaming Russia for the nerve agent poisoning in a joint statement this month.
In conjunction with the EU’s announcement Monday, the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Estonia, and Italy all announced they would be expelling Russian officials.
