By Ben Kerrigan-
Theresa May is pushing for a united statement from the European Union condemning Russia for the nerve agent attack in Salisbury.
Foreign ministers of the 28-nation bloc issued a statement on Monday voicing “unqualified solidarity” with the UK, but stopping short of pointing the finger of blame at Moscow for the March 4 attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
The UK prime minister arrived in Brussels for a summit of the European Council, saying she would brief fellow leaders on the “brazen and reckless” use of chemical weapons on European soil which she said left no doubt that it was part of a pattern of Russian aggression which requires a united response.
Britain has been pushing behind the scenes for EU allies to follow its expulsion of 23 “undeclared intelligence officers” from Russia’s embassy in London by sending home Moscow’s spies in their own countries. However, foreign ministers of the EU who jointly expressed unqualified solidarity with the UK last Monday, stopped short of squarely blaming Russia for the attack. EU leaders have been reluctant to follow Britain’s steps in directly accusing Russia without evidence.
In London, Russia’s ambassador Alexander Yakovenko condemned Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s comparison between Mr Putin hosting this summer’s World Cup with Hitler’s 1936 Olympics as an “insult” to the Russian people.
AGGRESSION
Theresa May intends to discuss Russia’s aggression at the European Council summit (European Broadcasting Service) She is also set to address the other 27 EU leaders over dinner on her belief that Europe faces a challenge from Russia that will last many years and represents a threat to the continent’s democracy.
The UK Prime Minister said: “Russia staged a brazen and reckless attack against the United Kingdom when it attempted the murder of two people in the streets of Salisbury.
“I will be raising this issue with my counterparts today because it is clear that the Russian threat doesn’t respect borders and indeed the incident in Salisbury was part of a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe and its near neighbours from the western Balkans to the Near East.”
Meanwhile, in London, Russia’s ambassador Alexander Yakovenko condemned Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s comparison between Mr Putin hosting this summer’s World Cup with Hitler’s 1936 Olympics as an “insult” to the Russian people.
