Alwaght- US administration has expelled scores of Russian diplomats in the United States in response to alleged poisoning of a Russian former double agent in Britain.
US President Donald Trump on Monday ordered 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country in solidarity with Britain over the alleged nerve-agent poisoning of Sergei Skripal, and closed Russia’s consulate in Seattle, senior administration officials said.
The officials said all 60 Russians were spies working under diplomatic cover, including a dozen at Russia's mission to the United Nations.
They said the expulsions meant to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the "unacceptably high" number of Russian intelligence operatives in America.
The expelled Russians have been given seven days to leave the US, said the officials.
The move, one of the most significant actions the Trump administration has taken so far against Russia, comes amid escalating tensions between the West and Russia over the poisoning of Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, in a British town.
London claims the Soviet-designed Novichok nerve agent has been used to poison the pair and points the finger at Russia.
Moscow has rejected the claims as “absurd,” saying the substance used in the attack could have originated from the countries studying it, including Britain itself. It has offered cooperation with London in probing the case.
Less than a week ago, Trump phoned Putin to congratulate the Russian leader for his re-election but did not raise the spy case, renewing questions about whether he is too soft on Moscow.
14 EU states to expel Russian diplomats
Meanwhile, Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, made a short statement in Bulgaria on Monday, saying 14 EU states were also expelling Russian diplomats over the UK spy case.
France said it would expel four Russian diplomats, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said his country would expel 3 Russian diplomats; Poland said it will expel four and Ukraine announced the expulsion of 13 diplomats.
