President Donald Trump issued an order for 60 Russian diplomats to leave the country as the US considers them as spies. The order was issued in response to the nerve-agent poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK and closed Russia’s consulate in Seattle, revealed senior administration officials on Monday as European allies executed similar measures.
The expulsions are the most aggressive US move against Russia under Trump, who has sought a closer personal relationship with President Vladimir Putin while at the same time introducing new sanctions against people and entities with ties to the Kremlin.
The officials called the March 4 poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England an attack on America’s closest ally and a reckless attempt to murder a British citizen on British soil. They said there are more than 100 Russian intelligence agents undercover as diplomats in the US and described the number as unacceptable.
The 60 people expelled from the US include 48 attached to the Russian embassy and 12 at the country’s mission to the United Nations. They have seven days to leave the country, the officials said.
At least 14 European Union countries are preparing to take coordinated actions with the US in response to the UK attack, two people with knowledge of the decision said. The countries were expected to include Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic.
Germany has expelled four Russian diplomats, and other nations are following in rapid succession.
The UK already expelled 23 Russian diplomats in response to the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, which Prime Minister Theresa May’s government determined was perpetrated by Russia.
Putin’s government, in turn, ordered 23 British diplomats out of Russia over what it called “unsubstantiated accusations,” and the Kremlin on Monday said it would act reciprocally if Trump expels officials.
While US policy toward Russia has grown more aggressive in recent months, some Trump critics say he’s been slow to respond to Putin’s provocations. Some have drawn a connection to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of possible collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and the Russian government, as well as Trump’s past business relationships with Russian figures.
Trump faced criticism last week for calling Putin to congratulate him on his re-election, vote observers said was marred by irregularities. After the call, Trump said he hoped to meet with Putin in the “not-too-distant future.”
Meanwhile, Russia is planning to respond to the US’ move.
Russia will respond to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from European Union countries in kind and in the coming days, the RIA news agency reported on Monday, citing a foreign ministry source.
“The response will be symmetrical. We will work on it in the coming days and will respond to every country in turn,” the source said, according to the agency.
Fourteen European Union countries on Monday expelled Russian diplomats, a top official said, after the bloc last week sided with Britain in blaming Moscow over the poisoning of a former Russian spy.