Skripal: Romania joins countries expelling Russian diplomats

Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced on Monday that it would expel one Russian diplomat, to show solidarity with UK, EU, US and Canada in a coordinated response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence official, and his daughter Yulia, in Salisbury, England on 4 March 2018.

CNN reported on Monday the countries that are expelling Russian diplomats:

EU nations: UK (23), Croatia (1), Czech Republic (3), Denmark (2), Estonia (1), Finland (1), France (4), Germany (4), Italy (2), Latvia (1 diplomat and 1 private citizen who runs the office of a Russian company in Riga), Lithuania (3, plus sanction an additional 21 individuals and ban 23 more from entering the country), The Netherlands (2), Poland (4), Romania (1), Spain (2), Sweden (1) – CNN reports.

US President Donald Trump also expelled 60 Russian diplomats over UK attack on Monday. Canada (4, and additionally refuses three applications by Moscow for additional diplomatic staff). Ukraine (13).

Former double agent Skripal and his daughter were poisoned by the nerve agent novichok, a chemical developed during the Soviet era.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on 12 March that it was "highly likely" that the Russian state orchestrated the attack.

Albania, an EU candidate member, ordered the departure of two Russians from the embassy in Tirana. Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), another EU candidate, expelled one Russian official.

Portugal, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia and Luxembourg are the EU countries that have announced they were not prepared to expel any Russian diplomats in solidarity with the UK.Belgium and Ireland haven’t announced anything yet, according to The Guardian.

Source:RRA,CNN, The Guardian