 Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and US President Donald Trump (photo: AFP/VNA)
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The US and several European countries have expelled a total of 110 Russian diplomats, after Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the March 4th poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil.
Western countries follow Britain
The US closed Russia’s Consulate in Seattle and expelled 60 Russian diplomats working at that Consulate and the UN mission in New York. Several EU member countries and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) made similar moves. The massive expulsion is the worst diplomatic war between Russia and Western countries since the Cold War.
Britain praised the allied response, saying it sends a strong message to Moscow that they will not tolerate Russia continuing to ignore international law.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said other countries have incautiously followed the UK, which has no proof of Russia's involvement in the ex-spy’s poisoning. The Ministry called the expulsion of Russian diplomats a mistake and a provocation which impedes international relations and the investigation of the incident.
Some EU countries have not followed suit, including Turkey and Austria. Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's right-wing League, who might soon become Italy’s President, said the expulsion of Russian diplomats and the resumption of sanctions against Moscow does not resolve any problems but simply worsens the situation.
Disagreement reaches its peak
British Prime Minister Theresa May said “actions by our allies clearly demonstrate that we all stand shoulder to shoulder in sending the strongest signal to Russia that it cannot continue to flout international law."
Besides accusations, Britain and other western countries have presented neither comprehensive and objective evidence nor an invitation to cooperate with Russia in investigating the case. Is it because the West doesn’t want to expose what happened and how it happened. Is it the West taking advantage of the ex-spy poisoning case as a pretext to undermine the Russian election?
The surprising solidarity between the EU and the US was revealed after the re-election of Russian President Vladimir Putin for another 6-year term. Disagreements between Russia and the West over the past decade have reached their peak. Russia’s rivals don’t like a strong Russia and its upgraded capabilities. The real problem is not the ex-spy poisoning, but Moscow’s activities and influence which threaten the West’s interests.
Russia has vowed to retaliate for the massive expulsion of its diplomats. Russia and the West have entered their worst period in 3 decades.