May seeks united EU against Russia over spy poisoning

British Prime Minister Theresa May tried to rally European Union leaders into a unified stance Thursday against Russia, saying the poisoning of a former spy on English soil shows that Moscow poses a long-term threat to the West.

But as Russia denied responsibility and slammed Britain’s investigation into the nerve-agent attack, some European leaders urged caution while the investigation continues.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia remain unconscious in critical but stable condition after the March 4 nerve agent attack in the English city of Salisbury, which has sparked an east-west diplomatic crisis reminiscent of the Cold War.

Health officials said Thursday that Detective Sgt. Nick Bailey, a police officer who became seriously ill after responding to the nerve agent attack, has been released from a Salisbury hospital.

Britain blames Moscow for the attack, which it says used a military-grade, Soviet-developed nerve agent, and has called Russia a growing threat to Western democracies. Russia has fiercely denied allegations it poisoned Sergei Skripal — a former Russian intelligence officer convicted of spying for the U.K. — and his daughter.

On Thursday May accused Russia of staging “a brazen and reckless attack’’ and said “it is clear that the Russian threat doesn’t respect borders.’’

She said “the incident in Salisbury was part of a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe and its near neighbours, from the western Balkans to the Middle East.’’