EU Replaces Lack Of Evidence In Skripal Case With Solidarity With UK - Russian Lawmaker

EU Replaces Lack of Evidence in Skripal Case With Solidarity With UK - Russian Lawmaker

The European Union is replacing its lack of evidence tying Russia with the Salisbury incident with solidarity with London in the form of new sanctions against Russia, the chair of Russia's Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachev, said on Monday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st January, 2019) The European Union is replacing its lack of evidence tying Russia with the Salisbury incident with solidarity with London in the form of new sanctions against Russia, the chair of Russia's Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachev, said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the EU Council imposed sanctions on nine individuals, including Russian intelligence officials, and one Syrian entity over the use and proliferation of chemical weapons.

"The European Union shows eurosolidarity, which is replacing the lack of a foundation of evidence. It is strange, that this eurosolidarity is now aimed at the United Kingdom, which is quitting the EU and making a big scandal out of it, and leaving the EU to deal on its own with the Salisbury scandal," Kosachev said.

According to Kosachev, this situation "will poison the relationship between the EU and Russia for long time" due to such irresponsible decisions.

On March 4, 2018, former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury. London said they were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent and accused Moscow of staging the attack. Specifically, it said it suspected Russian nationals Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov of executing the poisoning and of working for Russian intelligence.

However, Moscow has repeatedly noted that London has yet to provide any evidence proving its role in the poisoning. Petrov and Boshirov, in turn, denied their involvement in the attack in an interview with the RT broadcaster. They said that while they did visit Salisbury in the spring, they had come as tourists, further noting that they worked for the fitness industry.