Europe-Wide Sanctions On Russian Intel Officers Example Of EU-UK Cooperation - Hunt

Europe-wide sanctions on four Russian intelligence officers suspected of a role in the Salisbury poisoning are a good example of London's ability to work with Brussels post-Brexit, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st January, 2019) Europe-wide sanctions on four Russian intelligence officers suspected of a role in the Salisbury poisoning are a good example of London's ability to work with Brussels post-Brexit, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Monday.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council has announced sanctions on the head and deputy head of the Russian military intelligence agency (GRU) and two officers, who London blames for using a toxin on former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, under its new regime aimed at stopping the use of chemical weapons.

"[UK Prime Minister] Theresa May said we're going to go after the GRU to stop their malign activities... It shows that diplomatic cooperation between the UK and the EU is very strong and we share a lot of values and that won't change with Brexit.

This is a good example of us working together," Hunt told reporters after the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.

EU sanctions were also extended to five Syrian nationals and an entity who the Foreign Affairs Council suspects of helping develop and produce chemical weapons in Syria. They are subject to travel bans and asset freezes.

Ties between Russia and the United Kingdom hit a new low last year after London accused Moscow of being behind the March 4 poisoning of Skripal in Salisbury. May ordered 23 Russian diplomats out of the country. Russia denied the accusations and expelled the same number of UK diplomats in response.