Nato allies issue joint statement blaming Russia for poison attack

Leaders of UK, US, France and Germany say it was a ‘breach of UK sovereignty’

Leaders of the UK, the US, Germany and France have issued a statement blaming Russia for the Salisbury poison attack.

The four allies said it was “an assault on UK sovereignty” and a breach of international law that “threatens the security of us all”.

The statement was issued as Prime Minister Theresa May visited the scene of the attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Mrs May said: “What is important in the international arena… is that allies are standing alongside us and saying this is part of a pattern of activity that we have seen from Russia in their interference, their disruption that they have perpetrated across a number of countries in Europe.

“This happened in the UK but it could have happened anywhere and we take a united stance against it.”

In their joint statement, Mrs May, US President Donald Trump, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel said they “abhor” the poison attack and share the assessment there was “no plausible alternative explanation” other than Russia being responsible.

They called on Moscow to answer all questions about the Salisbury incident and “live up to its responsibilities as a member of the UN Security Council to uphold international peace and security”.

Mr Trump told reporters at the White House: “It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it,” adding: “We are taking it very seriously.”

Nato states were briefed by UK National Security Adviser Sir Mark Sedwill at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels.

The military alliance’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said the attack took place “against the backdrop of a reckless pattern of Russian behaviour” including its interference in Georgia and Ukraine, and attempts to subvert democratic elections.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned Moscow will expel British diplomats “soon” after Mrs May announced the biggest expulsion of Russian embassy staff since the Cold War.

Some 23 diplomats identified as undeclared intelligence officers have been given a week to leave the UK.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd was chairing a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergencies committee in London to discuss the latest situation.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson confirmed the UK will submit a sample of the nerve agent to the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for it to carry out its own tests.

Mrs May met members of the emergency services and military at Salisbury’s Guildhall, including PCS Way and Collins, who were first to respond to the emergency call, believing it to be “a routine call”.

Mrs May said: “Thank you – what you did was what police do day in and day out.”