Envoys summoned over poison attack

POLAND and Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania yesterday summoned the Russian ambassadors to their countries, as international pressure builds on Moscow over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England.

Latvia on Friday had said it would expel one or several Russian diplomats over the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the British city of Salisbury, while fellow Nato and EU members Lithuania and Poland were also expected to follow suit.

The moves come after Britain, which blames Russia for the poisoning, expelled 23 Russian diplomats it said were spies and pressed EU allies to follow suit despite Moscow’s warning against confrontational steps.

“The Russian Federation’s ambassador has been summoned to the Latvian foreign ministry today, and later there will be a public announcement,” ministry deputy press secretary Vita Dobele said.

In Poland, Russian ambassador Sergei Andreev was called to the foreign ministry in Warsaw.

“No comment. The information will be conveyed by the Polish foreign ministry,” a smiling Andreev said while leaving the ministry.

Pressed by journalists, he said he was staying in Poland but said “we’ll see” when asked about the fate of other Russian diplomats in Warsaw.

Lithuania’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said: “I can confirm the Russian ambassador is summoned to the foreign ministry,” but refused to elaborate.

No media briefing is planned in Vilnius, but diplomatic sources say the ambassador will be informed of the expulsion of several diplomats.

Fellow Baltic country Estonia refused to confirm or deny whether its Russian ambassador was summoned,

However, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Belovas said the minister would give a media conference on the Salisbury attack later yesterday.