spy poisoning
Trump to expel 60 Russian diplomats, close Seattle consulate in response to spy poisoning
President Trump on Monday ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian officials as well as the closure of the Seattle consulate in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter who were living in Britain, The Washington Post reports. The officials have a week to leave the U.S.
At least 10 European countries have also banded together to expel Russian diplomats in a coordinated response, Bloomberg reports.
Russia has warned it will retaliate in kind. The Russian embassy in the U.S. has claimed on Twitter that the accusations against Moscow are "another large-scale anti-Russian campaign" and said that "it is of the [utmost] importance to calmly and professionally get to the bottom of the tragedy [and] come up with joint steps to prevent such incidents from ever happening again."
European Union leaders have said that there is "no plausible alternative explanation" other than Russia being behind the poisoning of the ex-spy and his daughter. Further details about Europe's coordinated actions are expected Monday afternoon.