UK’s allies turn up heat on Russia
US President Donald Trump yesterday hit Russia with new sanctions for election meddling and cyber strikes, as Washington vowed to punish Moscow’s ‘‘nefarious attacks’’.
Nineteen people and five Russian organisations have been targeted in the most significant action against Moscow since the US president took office.
The news came shortly after Western leaders backed Britain in blaming Russia for the nerve agent attack in Salisbury 10 days ago.
Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel rallied around British Prime Minister Theresa May, directly blaming Russia for the attack that left double agent Sergei Skripal and
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his daughter Yulia in a critical condition in hospital.
Their joint statement represented a major boost for May, and came 24 hours after she moved to expel 23 Russian diplomats and suspended high-level contact with Moscow.
The statement, issued by No 10 Downing St, said: ‘‘We share the UK assessment that there is no plausible alternative explanation, and note that Russia’s failure to address the legitimate request by the UK government further underlines its responsibility.
‘‘We call on Russia to address all questions related to the attack in Salisbury. This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War. It is an assault on UK sovereignty, and any such use by a state party is a clear violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and a breach of international law.‘‘
In Brussels, Nato member states were briefed by Sir Mark Sedwill, Britain’s national security adviser, at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council.
This came after former Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the international response must be collective. ‘‘Anything short of full solidarity with the UK now will be considered a victory for the Kremlin.’’
British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson added to the pressure, saying: ‘‘It is absolutely atrocious and outrageous what Russia did in Salisbury. We have responded to that. Frankly, Russia should go away and should shut up.’’
May yesterday visited Salisbury for the first time since the attack, meeting members of the emergency services. ‘‘We do hold Russia culpable for this brazen and despicable act that has taken place on the streets of what is such a remarkable city,’’ she said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that British diplomats would be expelled ‘‘soon’’ in retaliation for the biggest expulsion of Russian diplomats since the Cold War.
The Russian Embassy in London claimed it had received death threats after May’s announcement.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) spy agency, the successor to the KGB, and its military intelligence organisation, the Main Intelligence Directorate, are among those targeted by the new US sanctions.
US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said it was part of a ‘‘broader effort’’ to address the country’s ‘‘nefarious attacks’’.
The sanctions will block those affected from travelling to the US and freeze any assets they have in the country, as well as barring US companies from working with them.
Many of the individuals targeted allegedly worked for the Internet Research Agency, the Russian ‘‘troll factory’’ that American intelligence agencies believe systematically targeted the 2016 election campaign.
– Telegraph Group