EU recalls Moscow envoy after blaming Russia over spy attack

The European Union is recalling its ambassador from Moscow for consultations over the nerve gas attack against a former spy in Britain earlier this month, reinforcing a united stand with Prime Minister Theresa May against Russia.

After the EU firmly sided with May in the escalating conflict and said it was “highly likely Russia is responsible” for the attack on Sergei Skripal, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the EU envoy “is being recalled for consultations to Brussels.”

May won the backing of 27 other EU leaders at a summit Thursday and the bloc called the attack a “grave challenge to our shared security.”

The EU states said they would “coordinate on the consequences to be drawn in the light of the answers provided by the Russian authorities.”

May was delighted with the support on Friday. “This is about us standing together to uphold our values against the Russian threat,” she said.

Rutte said no sanctions were actually discussed at the summit even though rumors swirled of more drastic diplomatic measures. President Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania said she was considering expelling Russian diplomats in the wake of the March 4 attack.

Rutte said over the coming days or weeks, “we and our partners must see what the logical next steps are.” He insisted that any measure “must have an added value to this extremely strong political declaration.”AP

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