Fourteen EU member states have expelled dozens of Russian diplomats in an orchestrated reaction, over the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the U.K.
At least 45 Russian diplomats have been expelled across Europe so far.
“As a direct follow up to last week’s European Council decision to react to Russia within a common framework, already today 14 member states have decided to expel Russian diplomats,” said President of the European Council Donald Tusk, who was in Bulgaria’s Varna for an EU-Turkey Summit.
“The European Council agreed with the United Kingdom government’s assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. We decided to recall the EU Ambassador to Russia for consultations,” he added.
Germany was one of the first to make the announcement as Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Berlin had “expelled four Russian diplomats”.
A French Foreign Ministry statement said they have “notified the Russian authorities of our decision to expel from the French territory four Russian personnel with diplomatic status, within one week.”
Poland said they were also expelling four Russians in the wake of the ex-spy poisoning row.
Denmark, the Netherlands, Latvia, Spain and Italy said they had expelled two diplomats each.
Lithuania and the Czech Republic made similar announcements to expel three. Meanwhile, Estonia, Croatia, Finland and Romania said they have asked one diplomat to leave. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven later said they will also expel a Russian diplomat.
Ukraine, a non-EU country, joined the 14 states and expelled 13 Russian diplomats. Albania followed suit to expel two Russian diplomats.
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