In the recent action against Moscow since the height of the Cold War, the United States and European Union members plan to expel some of Russian diplomats in action against the Kremlin for the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter which they have blamed on Russia.
The coordinated action among Western allies is seen as a huge diplomatic coup for May whose country is preparing to exit the EU bloc and may have had doubts about how much support she could count on.
May said: “Yesterday was a significant moment in our response to this reckless act of aggression, but there is still more to be done as we work with international partners on a long-term response to the challenge posed by Russia.
In the toughest action that President Donald Trump has taken against Russia since coming to office, and expelled 60 Russians diplomat, including 12 intelligence officers from Russia’s mission to the U.N. headquarters in New York and also closing the Russian consulate in Seattle.
The U.S.-led NATO alliance followed suit announcing on Tuesday it was expelling seven diplomats from Russia’s mission at alliance headquarters in Brussels and blocking the appointment of three others, thus cutting the size of the mission to 20 people from 30.
Russia, which denies any part in the March 4 attack on the Skripals, says the West’s action is a “provocative gesture” and has said it will respond.
