Here is the answer to media question on expulsions of Russian diplomats from a number of countries.
Question: The British government is proud of having mobilized some Western partners to expel Russian diplomats in a show of support. How do you assess this coordinated Western policy?
Answer: For us in London, such hostile step was not unexpected. The secrecy of the Salisbury investigation and the refusal to provide the international community with any information supporting the accusations against Russia have demonstrated not only the weakness of the British public position, but also the urgent need to give it a veneer of international legitimacy. The only way to achieve that was to seek “solidarity” within the Western bloc. Solidarity has been expressed, but no facts have been produced – otherwise they would have been made public in Brussels.
Our contacts with countries outside the bloc show that the unfounded accusations made by London have been met with a good deal of wariness and mistrust. And even within the bloc, a number of countries would like to see at least some piece of evidence to support the British scheme. This is only understandable. Memories are fresh of the 2003 Iraq intervention and the unexplained death of David Kelly, the scientist who publicly exposed the lie of the British government on the existence of WMD in Iraq (by the way, the investigation files are still classified). Then came Libya and the support for Jihadis in Syria.
Unfortunately, we are witnessing yet another political provocation based on pure assumptions. Furthermore, the existing international legal mechanisms, such as the OPCW, are being used in a selective and opaque way.
This is not the first time Russia is subjected to obstructionist policies by the Western bloc. The latest example were the sanctions introduced after the coup in Ukraine and the self-determination of Crimea. Today, London is trying to roll a new wave. The short-term goals are clear: to compensate for the loss of international influence by taking up the leading role in “containing” Russia, and to divert public attention away from the not-so-successful Brexit talks. The problem is that in the longer run, we are witnessing quite a dangerous trend in Western policy not only towards Russia, but the world at large."