May gets EU backing on Russia

Bloc recalling its ambassador to Moscow for consultations

BRUSSELS — 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 reminiscent of the Cold War 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 early 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 former Soviet state 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.”

The unanimity was a victory for May. She had been striving at a summit in Brussels to persuade her EU colleagues to unite in condemning Moscow over the attack on Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer convicted of spying for Britain, and his daughter, Yulia.

Russia strongly denies responsibility and has slammed Britain’s investigation.

European politicians and leaders varied in how far they were willing to go in blaming the Kremlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s office said Thursday that Greek leader Alexis Tsipras had called Putin to congratulate him on his re-election and discuss issues, including the Salisbury poisoning.