NATO expels 7 Russian diplomats after nerve agent poisoning in UK
- 6 years ago
Now for a look at stories around the world and we start with the latest on the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.
NATO has joined the U.S., the EU and a host of other nations in expelling Russian diplomats in response to the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
For more on his and other international news we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… Moscow continues to deny involvement, but it seems the rest of the world is not convinced….
That's right Semin…. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced Tuesday that the alliance will expel seven staff from the Russian mission.
It will also deny pending accreditation requests for three others.
The move will reduce the size of the Russian mission by a third from 30 to 20.
Stoltenberg said the decision would send a strong message to Moscow.
""This sends a clear message to Russia that there are costs and consequences for its unacceptable and dangerous pattern of behavior. And it follows Russia's lack of constructive response to what happened in Salisbury."
NATO made a similar move three years ago in response to the Russian annexation of Crimea, in which it cut the number Russian staff by half.
Tuesday's move comes just a day after more than two dozen countries ousted more than a hundred Russian diplomats in a coordinated move over the nerve agent attack in Salisbury - which Moscow denies.
Russia has lashed out at the mass expulsion, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov placing the blame on the U.S.
"We know that this is the result of colossal pressure, colossal blackmail which is now unfortunately the main tool of Washington on the international arena."
Russia's foreign ministry is reported to be drawing up retaliatory measures for President Vladimir Putin to consider.
They could likely include tit-for-tat expulsions of foreign diplomats in Russia.
NATO has joined the U.S., the EU and a host of other nations in expelling Russian diplomats in response to the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
For more on his and other international news we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… Moscow continues to deny involvement, but it seems the rest of the world is not convinced….
That's right Semin…. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced Tuesday that the alliance will expel seven staff from the Russian mission.
It will also deny pending accreditation requests for three others.
The move will reduce the size of the Russian mission by a third from 30 to 20.
Stoltenberg said the decision would send a strong message to Moscow.
""This sends a clear message to Russia that there are costs and consequences for its unacceptable and dangerous pattern of behavior. And it follows Russia's lack of constructive response to what happened in Salisbury."
NATO made a similar move three years ago in response to the Russian annexation of Crimea, in which it cut the number Russian staff by half.
Tuesday's move comes just a day after more than two dozen countries ousted more than a hundred Russian diplomats in a coordinated move over the nerve agent attack in Salisbury - which Moscow denies.
Russia has lashed out at the mass expulsion, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov placing the blame on the U.S.
"We know that this is the result of colossal pressure, colossal blackmail which is now unfortunately the main tool of Washington on the international arena."
Russia's foreign ministry is reported to be drawing up retaliatory measures for President Vladimir Putin to consider.
They could likely include tit-for-tat expulsions of foreign diplomats in Russia.