The EU's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini held crisis talks with the bloc's ambassador to Moscow Sunday after he was recalled over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England.

EU leaders summoned envoy Markus Ederer back to Brussels for consultations as international pressure builds on Moscow over the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British city of Salisbury.

At a summit on Friday, the bloc unanimously backed Britain's assessment that the Kremlin was to blame for the incident -- the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War 2.

In a brief statement on Sunday, Mogherini's office said she had held "consultations with the Head of European Union Delegation in the Russian Federation".

No further details were given beyond saying Ederer would "continue institutional consultations in the coming days".

A number of European countries are expected to take further steps to punish Moscow on Monday, with the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Denmark and Ireland considering expelling Russian diplomats.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that further coordinated actions were "necessary" to respond to the attack, while French officials have said Paris too was ready to act.

Britain and Russia have expelled 23 of each other's diplomats in tit-for-tat exchanges, while Moscow has also shut down the operations of the British Council cultural organisation in its territory.

Moscow denies any involvement in the attack on the Skripals and has accused Britain of orchestrating a campaign against it.

On Saturday the BBC reported that Skripal had written to Russian President Vladimir Putin several years ago asking for a pardon for selling secrets to British intelligence.

Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter are both in a coma after being poisoned with a nerve agent -- identified as the Soviet-made "Novichok" by the British government -- on March 4.</s>BRUSSELS: The leaders of several EU countries said on Friday they are mulling whether to expel Russian diplomats or take other steps to support Britain following a nerve agent attack on a former spy.

European Union leaders returned to summit talks on Friday after uniting behind British Prime Minister Theresa May in blaming Russia for the attack in England, and agreeing to recall the bloc’s ambassador to Moscow for consultations.

Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats they said were spies, and has been pressing EU allies to follow suit despite Moscow’s warning against confrontational steps.

The leaders of former Soviet bloc EU states the Czech Republic and Lithuania, as well as Denmark and Ireland, said they were considering further unilateral steps, including expelling diplomats.

"I think national measures will be applied already starting from next week... from a lot of countries," Lithuania’s outspoken President Dalia Grybauskaite said returning to the summit on Friday.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis told the CTK news agency that Prague may expel several Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

"Yes, we will probably move in this direction," Babis said, adding he will consult with cabinet members on Monday.

Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said his government would decide early next week whether to expel diplomats following a security assessment. "We are not going to randomly expel people who are genuine diplomats," Varadkar told reporters.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his government heard the "strong signal" from the bloc’s leaders. He said he would hold consultations with members of his government. "My government will then in the next coming days very seriously consider to take further steps," Rasmussen said.

A French presidency source said on Thursday that Paris was also ready to act. The poisoning has heightened worries across Europe about Russian meddling -- from repeated cyber attacks to what the EU has called an "orchestrated strategy" of disinformation aimed at destabilising the bloc.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has close ties with Moscow and has clashed with Brussels on democracy issues, was behind the plan to recall the EU ambassador in solidarity with Britain, a diplomatic source said.

"At yesterday’s meeting it was PM Orban who proposed the recall of the EU ambassador to Moscow for consultations in Brussels," the diplomatic source told AFP on condition of anonymity. "Greece and Italy were the most reluctant to take further common actions against Russia." —AFP</s>EU's High representative for foreign affairs and security policy Federica Mogherini spoke to the press as she arrived on the first day of a summit of European Union (EU) leaders at the EU headquarters in Brussels, on March 22, 2018

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Brussels (AFP)

The EU's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini held crisis talks with the bloc's ambassador to Moscow Sunday after he was recalled over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England.

EU leaders summoned envoy Markus Ederer back to Brussels for consultations as international pressure builds on Moscow over the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British city of Salisbury.

At a summit on Friday, the bloc unanimously backed Britain's assessment that the Kremlin was to blame for the incident -- the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War 2.

In a brief statement on Sunday, Mogherini's office said she had held "consultations with the Head of European Union Delegation in the Russian Federation".

No further details were given beyond saying Ederer would "continue institutional consultations in the coming days".

A number of European countries are expected to take further steps to punish Moscow on Monday, with the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Denmark and Ireland considering expelling Russian diplomats.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that further coordinated actions were "necessary" to respond to the attack, while French officials have said Paris too was ready to act.

Britain and Russia have expelled 23 of each other's diplomats in tit-for-tat exchanges, while Moscow has also shut down the operations of the British Council cultural organisation in its territory.

Moscow denies any involvement in the attack on the Skripals and has accused Britain of orchestrating a campaign against it.

On Saturday the BBC reported that Skripal had written to Russian President Vladimir Putin several years ago asking for a pardon for selling secrets to British intelligence.

Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter are both in a coma after being poisoned with a nerve agent -- identified as the Soviet-made "Novichok" by the British government -- on March 4.

© 2018 AFP</s>The meeting took place after on Thursday, the European Council sided with London in claiming that Moscow was "highly likely" behind the recent poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the UK city of Salisbury and the EU leaders then agreed to recall Ederer for consultations.

"High Representative Federica Mogherini held today consultations with the Head of European Union Delegation in the Russian Federation, Markus Ederer, who has arrived in Brussels after having been recalled for consultations as requested by the European Council on Friday," the statement said.

Ederer will continue consultations with EU officials in the coming days, the EU External Service added in its press release.

READ MORE: Russian MoD Says A234 Nerve Agent Allegedly Used Against Skripal Developed in US

Skripal, a former Russian intelligence agent who then worked for the Mi6, has been hospitalized in a critical condition together with his daughter Yulia on March 4. They are currently being treated for exposure to what the UK experts believe to be the A234 nerve agent.

London claimed that the substance was related to the Novichok-class nerve agents developed in the Soviet Union, and UK Prime Minister Theresa May accused Moscow of orchestrating the attack and expelled 23 Russian diplomats as a punitive measure.

READ MORE: UK Lab Practically Avows It Develops New Components of Toxic Substances - Moscow

The Russian side has strongly rejected the accusations and offered assistance in the investigation. However, Moscow's request for samples of the chemical substance used to poison Skripal was turned down. Moscow also expelled UK diplomats and ordered the British Council to stop its activities in Russia in response to the UK move.</s>A delegation of the European Union, headed by Vice-President of the European Commission, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, will visit Uzbekistan on March 26, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan said in a message.</s>Brussels (CNN) The European Union is recalling its Russian ambassador over the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain, as the bloc rallied firmly behind the United Kingdom in its worsening diplomatic dispute with Russia.

The EU's envoy in Moscow will return over the weekend "for consultations" while some member states were preparing to follow Britain's lead and expel Russian diplomats over the affair.

In a joint statement, EU leaders said they agreed with UK Prime Minister Theresa May that it was "highly likely" that Moscow was responsible for the attack on the Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, southern England, on March 4. The statement added that "there is no plausible alternative explanation."

"The threat from Russia is one that respects no borders and I think it is clear that Russia is challenging the values we share as Europeans and it is right that we are standing together in defense of those values," May said on Friday.

"I think what is crucial, though, is that there (was) recognition around the table last night about the threat that Russia poses," she added.

Speaking ahead of Friday's European Council meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "We agreed as a European Union to express full solidarity with the United Kingdom -- to agree with their assessment as to who is behind the Salisbury attack, and also to recall the EU ambassador to Russia to Brussels for consultations."

He added that "individual countries will decide in the coming days whether they want to take additional actions."

Ireland, Denmark, Lithuania and the Czech Republic were considering further measures, including the expulsion of diplomats.

After meeting with May in Brussels on Thursday night, EU leaders expressed the bloc's "unqualified solidarity with the United Kingdom in the face of this grave challenge to our shared security."

Russia has furiously denied claims it was involved in the attack, sparking a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia regretted the European leaders' decision to recall the EU ambassador, adding that his country had not had access to the information on which the decision was based.

Asked how Russia would respond if other individual EU nations recalled their ambassadors, Peskov said: "First, we need to wait for any decisions and understand on what basis they were taken. Then we can start talking about something."

Varadkar said Ireland expected to make a formal decision on expulsions early next week.

"What we will now consider in the coming days is whether we want to take individual action relating to Russian diplomats in Ireland," he said. "Bear in mind, what the United Kingdom did was to expel 23 diplomats who they believed weren't actually diplomats. So, we would have to do a security assessment -- just like they did -- before that. We're not going to randomly expel people who are genuine diplomats."

Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels that his government would "take into very close consideration" in the coming days whether to take a unilateral step.

"I have just briefed my minister of foreign affairs and he will now go to the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament later this morning, and then my government will in the next coming days very, very seriously consider to take further steps," he said.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is moving toward a decision to expel Russian diplomats, his spokeswoman Barbora Peterová told CNN.

Asked in Brussels if Lithuania was also considering expelling Russian diplomats, President Dalia Grybauskaite said: "The united response was yesterday and, from the beginning of next week, a lot of countries will go for our national measures."

The European Council said Thursday that member states would have to coordinate on how to proceed following the attack, including what the consequences should be for Russia going forward.

"The use of chemical weapons, including the use of any toxic chemicals as weapons under any circumstances, is completely unacceptable, must be systematically and rigorously condemned and constitutes a security threat to us all," its statement said.

Speaking to reporters as she arrived in Brussels on Thursday, May said Russia had staged a "brazen and reckless attack" against her country.

"It's clear that the Russian threat does not respect borders and indeed the incident in Salisbury was part of a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe and its near neighbors," she said.

Varadkar said after the meeting that other countries beside the United Kingdom had shared their intelligence assessments on what happened in Salisbury.

In a briefing Friday at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, deputy spokesman Artyom Kozhin said EU condemnation of the incident in Salisbury was "regrettable."

Kozhin said the European Council's statement Thursday agreeing with the British assessment of likely Russian responsibility "is in essence an unproven allegation" against Russia.

"We are fully prepared to work with the British, but the British side is avoiding cooperation," he said. "We believe that it is possible to continue an exchange of views within the framework of the appropriate international structure, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons."

Technical experts from the OPCW have been in Salisbury this week, collecting samples for further analysis.

A British court ruled Thursday that they could take blood samples from the Skripals to check against the analysis performed by the UK military's Porton Down research laboratory.

"The precise effect of their exposure on their long-term health remains unclear, albeit medical tests indicate that their mental capacity might be compromised to an unknown and so far unascertained degree," Judge David Williams wrote in his judgment allowing access to the Skripals.

Court documents quoted an unidentified doctor as saying the Skirpals were both heavily sedated and unable to communicate, and that it was not possible to assess to what extent either would be able to regain mental capacity.

A total of 21 people received medical attention after the incident, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was discharged from the hospital Thursday, according to a statement from Wiltshire Police.

Russia's ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, hinted Thursday at possible British involvement in the poisoning, as he questioned how British authorities could have so quickly determined the type of poison used in the attack.</s>Moscow, Russia - Fourteen European Union countries have taken a decision to expel Russian diplomats, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council said on Monday. The decision was made last Friday during a meeting of EU leaders.

Earlier on Monday, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania withdrew their ambassadors from Moscow, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing "unknown reasons" for the move.

Brussels already recalled Markus Ederer, head of the European Union Delegation in Russia, for consultations. The move came days after London expelled 23 Russian diplomats and Moscow responded with the same measure.

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian presidency, told Russian media that Russia has not received any official notification from the US regarding expulsion of Russian diplomats and that Moscow is ready to respond in kind.

"Of course, in any such case [of expulsions], it is clear that the principal of reciprocity will be employed," he said.

Tensions in UK-Russian relations escalated after UK Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russia of poisoning former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a nerve agent.

On March 4, Skripal and his daughter were found unconscious on a bench near a shopping centre in the town of Salisbury, 120km southwest of London. They are both still in a critical condition at Salisbury Discrict Hospital.

Skripal is a former Russian military intelligence officer accused of spying for the UK. He was imprisoned in 2006 and later exchanged for Russian citizens accused of espionage in the US.

On March 19, representatives of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) collected samples and their results are expected to be released in a week.

According to Russian analyst and journalist Konstantin Eggert, if the results of the OPCW investigation show a Russian link, the diplomatic crisis would worsen.

"Moscow will now try to divide the EU into two camps - the radical pro-British camp and those who they would think followed the EU because of the demands for solidarity rather than out of conviction," Eggert said.

In his opinion, the UK will also gradually escalate its meadures against Russia.

"It is quite conceivable to me that quite soon there will be a British version of the Magnitsky Law and it seems that the desire to clamp down on Russian wealth in the UK is the most serious of all others over the last 15-17 years," he said.

On the eve of the latest expulsions of Russian diplomats, Russian state media dedicated much time to appearances of officials and coverage of the Skripal case, claiming that Russia has been falsely accused of poisoning Skripal.

"What Britain is doing right now is black PR on an international scale," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova on state TV channel Rossiya 1.

She said that Britain is rushing in its investigation and sending "illiterate" responses to inquiries of the Russian embassy in London. She also questioned the validity of the OPCW investigation.

Earlier the same day, Peskov told Russian state channel NTV that the Britain's behaviour "is bordering on banditry in international relations. What is behind this? Either internal problems in Britain or problems between Britain and its allies, or something else."

Meanwhile, state TV channel Rossiya 24 aired an extensive report on the Skripal case claiming that May is "lying" because nerve gas agent "Novichok" does not exist.

The same day, a popular on Rossiya 1 late-night talk show with Vladimir Solovyev, a media personality thought to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, featured an interview with a Russia chemical weapons specialist who alleged that the US has also developed a substance like the one believed to have poisoned Skripal and his daughter.

According to Mark Galeotti, senior research fellow at the Institute of International Relations in Prague, the targeting of Skripal was meant to send a signal to the West.

"Presumably, if they decided to target Skripal […], they had two options - one, do it subtly, and two, do it demonstratively and they clearly made a choice," Galeotti told Al Jazeera.

In his opinion, Russia will continue to employ similar provocative tactics with the West.

"[These tactics] keep Russia bubbling up in the news and in the attention of the West," he said.

"Putin's aim is to force the West into recognising Russia as a big power."</s>The European Union has called on Belarus to immediately release all the opposition activists who were arrested at the weekend as they attempted to hold an unsanctioned rally in the capital.

A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini made the call on March 26, the day after Belarusian authorities detained more than 30 activists ahead of a banned march in Minsk.

By the evening, most of those arrested had been released, but former presidential candidates Mikalay Statkevich and Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu remained in detention, the Viasna human rights center reported.

In a statement, Mogherini's spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said the response of the Belarusian authorities was "disproportionate."

"Democratic principles and fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly, association and of the media must be fully ensured in any democratic society," she also said.

"Steps taken by Belarus to respect universal fundamental freedoms, rule of law, and human rights will remain vital in shaping the European Union's future relationship with the country," Kocijancic added.

The planned rally in Minsk was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Belarus's 1918 proclamation of independence from Russia. The Belarusian People's Republic lasted until 1919, when it was effectively taken over by Soviet Russia.

Known as Freedom Day, the anniversary is traditionally a day for opponents of the authoritarian government of Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to stage protests.

The Belarusian opposition accuses Lukashenka, who has been in office since 1994, of attempting to erase Belarusian identity and of "Russifying" the former Soviet republic.

During his two decades in power, Lukashenka has systemically quashed opposition parties, independent media, and civil society groups. Outbursts of political protests have been met with violence.</s>BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russia will retaliate in a reciprocal manner if the United States does not heed its demands for a return of diplomatic assets, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.

"We hope that the United States, as a country which promotes the rule of law, will respect its international obligations," Lavrov told reporters after a meeting in Brussels with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. 

 "If this does not happen, if we see that this step is not seen as essential in Washington, then of course we will take retaliatory measures. This is the law of diplomacy, the law of international affairs, that reciprocity is the basis of all relations."

 He declined to answer when asked if that meant that Russia would expel U.S. diplomats and seize diplomatic property.

 

 (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald, editing by Robin Emmott)</s>ANKARA/VARNA, Bulgaria (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said he will seek the removal at a summit with the EU on Monday of all obstacles to a stalled membership bid, which the bloc however believes are of Ankara's own making.

 Criticism from European Union governments of what many view as Erdogan's growing authoritarianism at home and his intervention in Syria's war has created an uneasy backdrop to the gathering in the Black Sea port of Varna.

 Some countries had called for an end to long-stalled accession talks and had hesitated to agree to meet him.

 But Erdogan said it was time for the EU to "keep its promises" to Turkey, which started formal membership negotiations in 2005 that stalled five years and have now effectively collapsed.

 "EU membership continues to be our strategic goal," Erdogan told reporters before departing for the summit. "In today's EU summit, we will convey our expectations about the lifting of the obstacles our country has faced."

 Erdogan, who has alarmed the West with a massive purge since a failed coup attempt in July 2016, remains an important ally in the U.S.-led NATO alliance and the fight against Islamic militants, and the destination for many Syrians fleeing war.

 Turkey shares a border with Iraq, Syria and with Russia in the Black Sea, and the EU is its biggest foreign investor and trading partner.

 

 CASH ONLY 

 EU leaders are likely to provide Erdogan with 3 billion euros ($3.7 billion) in fresh cash to extend a 2016 deal on Turkey taking in Syrian refugees.

 They will go no further than that, as Brussels considers the EU membership bid a separate process focused on rule of law, press freedoms and economic reforms.

 But Erdogan on Monday appeared to conflate the two.

 "Our country has fulfilled all responsibilities as part of the 2016 migrant deal, but the EU has not shown the same sincerity in keeping its promises and still does not do so," Erdogan said.

 "In terms of counter-terrorism, we will convey that we expect unconditional support and cooperation from the EU."

 EU officials say Turkey's post-coup crackdown on civil rights has taken it further from complying with EU membership criteria.

 "The differences in views between the EU and Turkey are many," said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who will represent the bloc along with European Council President Donald Tusk. 

 "(Varna)...will be a frank and open debate, where we will not hide our differences but will seek to improve our cooperation," Juncker said after a two-day EU summit that condemned what they said were Turkey's illegal actions in a standoff over Mediterranean gas with Greece and Cyprus.

 

 DIALOGUE OR CONDEMNATION?

 Turkey's EU membership process is not formally frozen, but talks have not taken place for over a year. 

 Host Bulgaria, which also shares a border with Turkey holds the EU's rotating presidency, is eager to keep ties as positive as possible.

 "The meeting in Varna is likely to be one of the last opportunities to maintain dialogue," Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said.

 Meanwhile Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of Austria, the country the most opposed to Turkey's EU membership aspirations, called in an interview in Die Welt newspaper for the EU to condemn Ankara for escalating the seven-year-long war in Syria.

 

 (Additional reporting by Robin Emmott in Brussels and Tulay Karadeniz in Varna; Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel @AdeCar and Robin Emmott; editing by John Stonestreet)
EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini holds crisis talks with Markus Ederer, the bloc's recalled ambassador to Russia.