'A reckless and abhorrent attack': How the world has reacted to nerve agent attack on Russian spy

The US has thrown its diplomatic weight behind the UK over the Salisbury nerve agent attack as the international community joins forces with Britain against Russia.

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تاریخ: ۲۴ اسفند ۱۳۹۶ - ۱۰:۲۲

Theresa May hit back at Moscow on Wednesday for the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, who have been critical in hospital since they were found unconscious on March 4 on a bench in the city of Salisbury.

The Prime Minister announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats, a move that has received international support.

As the Kremlin made it clear it is readying its response to the biggest expulsion of its embassy staff since the Cold War, the White House came down firmly on Britain's side, joining a growing list of countries pledging their support to the UK.

Here is a round up of how the world has reacted to the escalating diplomatic crisis.

The US

After the brazen poisoning of a former spy, Mrs May quickly pinned the blame on Russia. So did U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in what ultimately became one of his last public statements before being fired.

But at the White House, President Donald Trump's initial response was more circumspect, with his spokeswoman pointedly avoiding naming Russia as the likely perpetrator of the attack.

Tougher rhetoric came only on Wednesday evening, when White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders put out a statement saying the U. "stands in solidarity with its closest ally".

"The United States shares the United Kingdom's assessment that Russia is responsible for the reckless nerve agent attack on a British citizen and his daughter, and we support the United Kingdom's decision to expel Russian diplomats as a just response," she said in a statement.

"The latest action by Russia fits into a pattern of behaviour in which Russia disregards the international rules-based order, undermines the sovereignty and security of countries worldwide, and attempts to subvert and discredit Western democratic institutions and processes. The United States is working together with our allies and partners to ensure that this kind of abhorrent attack does not happen again."

At the United Nations, Nikki Haley, the US ambassador, said Russia must cooperate with the British investigation and "account for its actions."

Russia

Moscow has strongly denied being responsible for the nerve agent attack.

Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations accused British authorities of using "propaganda war tools" and having "other motives" than establishing the truth behind the poisoning of Colonel Skripal.

In comments tweeted by the Russian Mission at the UN, Vasily Nebenzya said the UK was "dragging" the case to the UN's Security Council, ignoring its international commitments because the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons "will not be convinced by its arguments".

It said: "Incredible things are happening behind our eyes. The process of replacing the presumption of innocence with the presumption of guilt is taking place. Moreover, this criminal law principle is transferred into international relations.

"The authorities of UK are not interested in finding the truth about the Skripal case, they have other motives. They are using propaganda war tools to influence an uninformed and impressionable public. There are no facts, only allegations about the 'Russian trace'."

France

At the United Nations on Wednesday, French officials declined to directly blame Russia until the country's involvement was proven.

However a subsequent statement by the French Embassy said the country's "solidarity with the UK is unquestionable".

"President Macron denounced as early as Tuesday the Salisbury chemical attack as unacceptable and assured Prime Minister May the UK had France's full support," the embassy said.

Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she took the British findings seriously and there would be a common European stance, although "we must still talk responsibly" with Russia despite differences of opinion.

Germany's new foreign minister said Berlin "can fully and completely understand" why Britain took action over the poisoning of a former Russian spy.

Heiko Maas said at a handover ceremony it was "disappointing that Russia so far doesn't appear to be prepared" to help clear up the case. He said it should "create transparency," either bilaterally to Britain or at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Maas said Germany would consult closely with London "and we can fully and completely understand that Britain had to react to this."

Australia

Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and the country's foreign minister, Julie Bishop, issued a joint statement on Thursday saying the country is "considering its responses in support of the United Kingdom" over the Salisbury incident.

Mrs May had made "a compelling case" on the Russian state's responsibility for the attack and Australia "stands with the UK in solidarity and supports, in the strongest terms, Prime Minister May's response," the statement said.

"The Australian Government also supports the UK Government's right to take retaliatory measures, including its decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats and to call for an emergency session of the UN Security Council," it said, adding: "Australia is considering its responses in support of the United Kingdom, in close consultation with the UK Government and other partners."

Australia already has a range of sanctions in place against Russia, some of which were applied after the downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17 in 2014.

Canada

Prime Minister Just Trudeau said he spoke with Prime Minister Theresa May late on Wednesday, telling her Canada stands behind Britain.

"The attack is despicable and it is unacceptable that there would be chemical weapons used against citizens of the United Kingdom," Trudeau told reporters in Evraz, Sask. after touring a steel plant.

"Russia's likely involvement is absolutely unacceptable and needs to be condemned in the strongest terms. That's what I told Teresa May and that is what I'm glad to repeat here today."

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland also issued a statement condemning the attack.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a chemical agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom—a point I recently conveyed to my British counterpart, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Russia’s likely involvement in this attack is a serious breach of the rules-based order.

“Canada offers its complete support to the United Kingdom and calls on all states to cooperate fully with British investigators.”