In a sign of protest along the lines of global reaction to the poisoning of a Russian spy in the UK, Australia is the latest country to expel Russian diplomats from its borders.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said “the brazen attack in Salisbury was an attack on all of us”.
As many as 100 Russian diplomats were expelled from more than 20 countries on Monday. The action taken against them was a co-ordinated response by the US and EU nations as a whole.
Russia vowed to retaliate to the “provocative gesture” at proper time.
Russia denies all allegations about its role in the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, Salibury, Southern England. The pair was poisoned by a military-grade nerve agent according to the investigators and both of them are still in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
With this move, Australia is expelling out two diplomats suspected of being “undeclared intelligence officers”.
The Prime Minister of Australia backed the UK for the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in the history, citing reasons about interference in elections and also the threats to “the sovereignty of our partners”.
“That is why we are taking this action today with another 23 nations round the world. We are defying this lawlessness, this recklessness of Russia,” he said.
EU leaders reached a consensus last week about Russia’s involvement in the nerve-agent poisoning.
The Russian foreign ministry responded with the view that the moves demonstrated a continuation of a “confrontational path”.
“It goes without saying that this unfriendly act by this group of countries will not go without notice and we will react to it,” its statement said.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was among them who praised the “extraordinary international response” by the UK’s allies.
The action by Russia and the immediate response given by the international governments is building the most serious diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West since Moscow’s seizure of Crimea.
The expulsions by the US and EU member states collectively, show a remarkable solidarity with Britain at a time when there is already strained relations between UK-EU due to the Brexit negotiations.
The note by European Council President Donald Tusk about ‘additional measures’ is a signal to Moscow which considering how to respond to the present situation.
Prime Minister Theresa May has won the case as of now with the tremendous support she has received. In the same way it also signifies toughening of the Trump administration’s stance towards Moscow.
“Additional measures, including further expulsions within this common EU framework are not to be excluded in the coming days and weeks,” President of the European Council Donald Tusk said.
The US state department said in while issuing a statement: “On March 4, Russia used a military-grade nerve agent to attempt to murder a British citizen and his daughter in Salisbury.
“This attack on our Ally the United Kingdom put countless innocent lives at risk and resulted in serious injury to three people, including a police officer.”
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