U.S. may expel 20 Russian diplomats over poisonings

U.S. and European officials said Saturday that President Donald Trump is close to expelling 20 or more Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.

The move, which could prompt a new wave of retaliatory expulsions of U.S. diplomats in Russia, may come as early as Monday. But U.S. officials are still seeking clarity on how major European powers are responding to the nerveagent attack, which critically injured a former spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement that the United States is considering a “range of options to respond to Russia’s outrageous actions in the UK, both to demonstrate our solidarity with our ally and to hold Russia accountable for its clear breach of international norms and agreements.”

She declined to say what those options could be or when they might come into force.

The leaked proposal to expel Russian diplomats, first reported by CNN, raised questions about whether people inside the U.S. government disclosed the pending action to force the president’s hand in taking tough action against Moscow. The proposal was advanced by the president’s advisers during meetings on Wednesday and Friday, the officials said.

A senior European diplomat said the United States has been considering the expulsion of 20 or more Russian diplomats in solidarity with Britain.