Trio blames Russia for UK spy attack

LONDON -- The leaders of the United States, France and Germany joined Britain on Thursday in blaming Russia for poisoning a former spy with a powerful nerve agent, condemning what they called the first attack with a nerve agent in Europe since World War II.

In a rare joint statement, U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May said "there is no plausible alternative explanation" to Russian responsibility.

They said Russia's failure to respond to Britain's "legitimate request" for an explanation "further underlines its responsibility" in the attack in southern England.

"This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War," the leaders said, calling it "an assault on U.K. sovereignty" and "a breach of international law."

Trump, who has often been reluctant to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, said it "certainly looks like the Russians were behind it."

"It's something that should never ever happen," Trump said at the White House. "We're taking it very seriously, as I think are many others."

Trump spoke to reporters after his administration announced new sanctions on Russian entities for meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The four-nation statement is the fruit of British efforts to enlist international support as it tries to hold Russia accountable for the March 4 attack leaving former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in critical condition and a British police officer seriously ill.

U.K.-Russia relations have plunged to Cold War-era levels of iciness since the poisoning. May on Wednesday expelled 23 Russian diplomats, severed high-level contacts with Moscow and vowed both open and covert actions following the attack.

Russia denies being the source of the nerve agent. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was "worried by this situation" and would work to express its position on the international stage.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would "certainly" expel some British diplomats in a tit-for-tat response. In remarks carried by the RIA Novosti news agency, Lavrov said the move would come "soon."

Lavrov said British accusations of Moscow's involvement are intended to distract public attention from the U.K's troubled exit from the European Union.

He argued "boorish and unfounded" accusations against Russia "reflect the hopeless situation the British government has found itself in when it can't meet the obligations given to the public in connection with exit from the EU."

Kremlin spokesman Peskov said the decision about how to retaliate would come from Putin, "and there is no doubt that he will choose the option that best reflects Russian interests."

U.K. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson called relations between the two countries "exceptionally chilly" and said Russia should "go away and shut up."

And British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Russia targeted Skripal -- a former Russian intelligence officer convicted of spying for Britain -- to make it clear those who defy the Russian state deserve to "choke on their own 30 pieces of silver."