LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A military-grade nerve toxin attack on former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter may have left them with compromised mental capacity and it is unclear whether they will recover, a British judge said on Thursday.

Britain has said Russia used a Soviet-era chemical weapon called Novichok to attack Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the first known offensive use of such a weapon on European soil since World War Two. Russia has denied any involvement.

In a boost to Prime Minister Theresa May, European Union leaders agreed with Britain’s assessment “that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation”.

A London court gave permission for blood samples to be taken from the Skripals for examination by chemical weapons inspectors to confirm the conclusion of Britain’s Porton Down military research laboratory.

An unidentified doctor who is treating the Skripals said they were both heavily sedated and unable to communicate, and that it was not possible to assess when or to what extent either may regain mental capacity, according to the court’s ruling.

“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 said in his ruling.

Skripal, once a colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4.

They were both in a physically stable condition and were being treated “on the basis they would wish to be kept alive”, the doctor said, according to Williams’s ruling at the London’s Court of Protection, which makes decisions about the welfare of people who are unable to do so themselves.

Williams said the application to take the samples had been made urgently on Tuesday. Both Skripal and his daughter were critical but stable, although he added: “It is not inconceivable that their condition could rapidly deteriorate”

Judge Williams said an unidentified analyst from Porton Down had given evidence that blood samples taken from the Skripals indicated exposure to a nerve agent. “The samples tested positive for the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent,” his ruling said.

A policeman who fell ill after helping the Skripals was released from hospital on Thursday after more than two weeks of treatment, officials said.

Britain won a show of support from other European states, potentially opening the way for further action against Russia after May used an EU summit to urge the region to show a united front against the challenge Moscow presented.

“We stand in unqualified solidarity with the United Kingdom in the face of this grave challenge to our shared security,” the EU leaders said in a joint statement.

In the worst crisis between London and Moscow since the Cold War, May has expelled 23 Russian diplomats whom she says were spies. Russia has ordered out 23 British diplomats.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said she was already considering expelling Russian spies from her territory.

But Russia was defiant. Its ambassador to London, Vladimir Yakovenko, said on Thursday that, had Novichok been used, the Skripals would have died.

Yakovenko rebuked British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for comparing Russia’s hosting of the soccer World Cup this summer with Nazi Germany’s hosting of the Olympics in 1936.

In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin discussed Britain’s “unfriendly and provocative” policy at a session of the national security council, RIA news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying.</s>Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said in Brussels on Thursday that the European Council meeting may also discuss new sanctions against Russia related to the poisoning of a former Russian intelligence officer and double agent recently carried out in the United Kingdom.

"I believe that these debates may be on the table today," Ratas said. "I sincerely hope that the European Council will adopt a joint and strong position on this issue today," he added.

"We fully condemn the poisoning attack. We trust our partners, we trust the information that the United Kingdom give us," Ratas said.

Ratas pointed out that he decided to call off his visit to Russia planned as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia due to recent international tensions in connection with the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal. Ratas would have attended a cultural event of the Estonian community in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk.

President of the European Council Donald Tusk said in his invitation to the heads of government that following the Salisbury attack, the union should not only express its full solidarity with the United Kingdom, but also draw "operational conclusions."

"I therefore propose we strengthen our resilience to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear-related risks, including through closer cooperation among the EU institutions, our member states, and NATO. We should also continue to bolster our capabilities to address hybrid threats, including in the areas of cyber, strategic communication and counter-intelligence," Tusk said.

Former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom, on March 4. Both are still in hospital in critical condition. Skripal is a British citizen, his daughter a Russian citizen.

According to the British government, all signs point to the involvement of Moscow in the poisoning, and the Russian government has refused to clarify how the use of Novichok, a nerve agent developed for military purposes in the Soviet Union, was possible in the United Kingdom. The British government has said that Russia had the ability, motive, and will to commit the attack.

Prime Minister Theresa May appealed to the solidarity of EU members following the Salisbury attack. She said in Brussels on Thursday that the "Russian threat does not respect borders."

"It is clear that the Russian threat does not respect borders, and that indeed the incident in Salisbury was part of a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe and its near neighbors," May said in her doorstep statement to journalists.

Following the incident, the UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats and their family members, altogether some 80 people. High-level contacts with Moscow were suspended.</s>European Union leaders have backed Britain in blaming Moscow over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in England, raising the possibility of additional retaliatory steps by some European countries.

The show of support from the EU, at a time when Britain is grappling with its departure from the bloc, will boost Prime Minister Theresa May, who has also been asking other nations to match her decision to expel Russians over the attack.

In a joint summit statement, the leaders said the EU "agrees with the United Kingdom government's assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation".

After discussions over dinner in Brussels, they added: "We stand in unqualified solidarity with the United Kingdom in the face of this grave challenge to our shared security."

May accused Russia of the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War II after Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter were found unconscious in the city of Salisbury on March 4.

The attack has sparked tit-for-tat retaliation. May's move to expel 23 "undeclared intelligence officials" was followed by similar measures from Moscow, including the closure of Britain's cultural centre in St Petersburg.

Over a dinner of lamb, May called on EU leaders to work together to confront the challenge Russia presented.

"Russia staged a brazen and reckless attack against the United Kingdom," May had said on arrival at the summit.

"It's clear that the Russian threat does not respect borders and indeed the incident in Salisbury was a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe and its near neighbours."</s>Britain is seeking help from other European countries to take action against Russian spy networks that could be preparing similar attacks to the nerve agent assault on a former Russian spy in England, diplomats said.

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May will urge joint action among European Union states at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, where she will also try to persuade the bloc’s leaders to condemn Russia squarely over the attack in Salisbury.

“Russia staged a brazen and reckless attack against the United Kingdom,” May told reporters on arriving at the summit.

“It’s clear that the Russian threat does not respect borders and indeed the incident in Salisbury was a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe and its near neighbours.”

May accused Russia of the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War Two after Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter were found unconscious on a public bench in the English city on March 4.

In the worst crisis between the two powers since the Cold War, May has expelled 23 Russian diplomats whom she says were spies working under cover. Moscow, which has denied involvement in the attack, has taken retaliatory steps.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said she was already considering expelling Russian spies from her territory.

“Britain says there are these networks that organise such things like Salisbury, that these networks exist across our borders and that it would be good to go after them together,” a senior EU diplomat said. “They have been approaching EU states on that bilaterally and today May will tell EU leaders more.”

Diplomats stressed May was not seeking a formal or immediate EU strategy because the bloc has little joint competence on intelligence, meaning any such work would be done directly with other governments.

“There is movement among several willing states to do something together in reaction to Skripal,” said another EU diplomat, adding that this would be done bilaterally outside the EU so as not to press too hard those members of the bloc who are more worried about their ties with Moscow.

Reluctance from countries – Greece and Hungary among them – means a draft joint statement by EU leaders now says only that they take “extremely seriously” London’s assessment that it was highly likely Russia was responsible for the attack.

But May will push fellow EU leaders to blame Moscow directly for the poisoning of the Skripals who British authorities say have been critically ill since the attack by a Soviet-produced military-grade nerve agent called Novichok.

Russia’s ambassador to London on Thursday said that, had Novichok been used, the Skripals would have died.

European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair the summit and has sided withBritain, said: “It is clear we should improve our preparedness for future attacks.”

He wants the bloc to discuss how to better protect itself from chemical and biological attacks, including in cooperation with NATO, as well as to how to beef up counter-intelligence capabilities to combat hybrid threats.

A British official confirmed London was seeking to work with groups of countries on intelligence-sharing over spy networks.

“Russia has shown itself as a strategic enemy, not a strategic partner,” said another British official, who stressed however that Britain was not seeking new economic sanctions.

May will seek to demonstrate to EU governments that all Western countries are vulnerable to such attacks, as well as what Nato says is a Russian strategy to undermine the West, officials said.

She will need to overcome reluctance from the Russia doves in the EU since the bloc is traditionally split on how to deal with Moscow.

Ties between Moscow and the West plummeted over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Kiev and support for rebels in east Ukraine, which have triggered sanctions by the EU.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday the Salisbury attack could not go without response.

Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump have already said in a joint statement with May that they “share” Britain’s assessment of Russian responsibility.

Diplomats said EU leaders could settle for similar language, though some bloc members remained concerned there was not enough direct proof to incriminate Russia in the attack.</s>BRUSSELS - Britain is asking other European states to crack down together on Russian spy networks that could be preparing similar attacks to the nerve agent assault on a former Russian spy in England, diplomats said.

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May will urge “coordinated action” among European Union states at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, where she would try to persuade the bloc’s leaders to condemn Russia squarely over the attack in Salisbury.

“Russia staged a brazen and reckless attack against the United Kingdom,” May told reporters on arriving at the summit.

“It’s clear that the Russian threat does not respect borders and indeed the incident in Salisbury was a pattern of Russian aggression against Europe and its near neighbours.”

May accused Russia of the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War Two after Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter were found unconscious on a public bench in the English city on 4 March.

In the worst crisis between the two powers since the Cold War, May has expelled 23 Russian diplomats whom she says were spies working undercover. Moscow, which has denied involvement in the attack, has taken retaliatory steps.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said she was already considering expelling Russian spies from her territory.

“Britain says there are these networks that organise such things like Salisbury, that these networks exist across our borders and that it would be good to go after them together,” a senior EU diplomat said. “They have been approaching EU states on that bilaterally and today May will tell EU leaders more.”

Diplomats stressed May was not seeking a formal EU strategy.

“There is a movement among several willing states to do something together in reaction to Skripal,” said another EU diplomat, adding that this would be done bilaterally outside the EU so as not to press too hard those members of the bloc who are more worried about their ties with Moscow.

Reluctance from countries - Greece and Hungary among them - means a draft joint statement by EU leaders now says only that they take “extremely seriously” London’s assessment that it was highly likely Russia was responsible for the attack.

But May will push fellow EU leaders to blame Moscow directly for the poisoning of the Skripals who British authorities say has been critically ill since the attack by a Soviet-produced military-grade nerve agent called Novichok.

Russia’s ambassador to London, Vladimir Yakovenko, on Thursday said that, had Novichok been used, the Skripals would have died.

Yakovenko rebuked British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for comparing Russia’s hosting of the soccer World Cup this summer with Nazi Germany’s hosting of the Olympics in 1936.

“The British government is free to make a decision about its participation in the World Cup, but nobody has the right to insult the Russian people, who defeated Nazism and lost more than 25 million people, by comparing our country to Nazi Germany,” Yakovenko said.

In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin discussed Britain’s “unfriendly and provocative” policy at a session of the national security council, RIA news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying.

European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair the summit and has sided with Britain, said: “It is clear we should improve our preparedness for future attacks.”

He wants the bloc to discuss how to better protect itself from chemical and biological attacks, including in cooperation with NATO, as well as to how to beef up counter-intelligence capabilities to combat hybrid threats.

A British official confirmed London was seeking to work with groups of countries on intelligence-sharing over spy networks.

“Russia has shown itself as a strategic enemy, not a strategic partner,” said another British official, who stressed however that Britain was not seeking new economic sanctions.

May will stress to EU governments that all Western countries are vulnerable to such attacks. But, with the bloc traditionally split on how to handle Moscow, she will face reluctance from the Russia doves in the EU. Britain was speaking to Greece directly, diplomats said, to convince Athens.

Ties between Moscow and the West plummeted over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Kiev and support for rebels in east Ukraine, which have triggered sanctions by the EU.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump have already said in a joint statement with May that they “share” Britain’s assessment of Russian culpability.</s>British Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed the support offered by other European Union leaders on Friday when they agreed with London’s assessment that it was highly likely that Moscow was behind nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy.

“I welcome the fact that the EU Council has agreed with the UK government’s assessment that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attempted murder that took place on the streets of Salisbury, and that there is no plausible alternative explanation,” May told reporters. “The threat that Russia poses respects no borders and it is a threat to our values. And it is right that here in the EU Council we are standing together to uphold those values.”

European Union leaders backed Britain on Thursday in blaming Moscow over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in England and recalled their envoy to Moscow in a symbolic protest. In a joint summit statement, the leaders said the EU “agrees with the United Kingdom government’s assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation”.

That marked a breakthrough for Britain, which had been seeking to persuade EU leaders to condemn Russia for the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter on March 4. It was the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War Two.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App</s>EU Joins U.K. In Saying Russia 'Very Likely' Responsible For Nerve Agent Attack

Enlarge this image toggle caption Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

European Union leaders have backed U.K.'s assessment that the nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent was almost certainly carried out by Moscow, saying, "there is no plausible alternative explanation."

Speaking in Brussels, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said it was "highly likely Russia is responsible," for the attack on 66-year-old Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, 33, at a shopping mall in southern England on March 4.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May won the backing of 27 other EU leaders at a summit Thursday. The bloc called the attack a "grave challenge to our shared security" and announced that it was recalling its ambassador to Russia.

May said of the EU support: "This is about us standing together to uphold our values against the Russian threat."

Although Rutte said there were no specific sanctions discussed at the summit, the EU said in a statement that it would "coordinate on the consequences to be drawn in the light of the answers provided by the Russian authorities."

The poison involved in the attack has been identified as Novichok, a military-grade nerve agent that was developed in a top-secret laboratory in Moscow in the 1980s and would be extremely difficult or impossible to obtain elsewhere.

Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attack, calling the charges against it "crazy allegations."

Last week, London announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats in response to the attack on the Skripals. The White House has also blamed Russia, calling it "an atrocious attack."</s>Ireland is standing by our EU allies by embarking on a detailed security assessment of unauthorised Russian agents here, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

Ireland is standing by our EU allies by embarking on a detailed security assessment of unauthorised Russian agents here, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

'Ireland will stand by its allies' - Taoiseach responds to criticism that assessing Russian ambassadors is 'unfriendly action'

Speaking in Brussels, Mr Varadkar said: "We’re part of a European Union which has 28 member states in it. "Other member states are sometimes subject to attack; we saw a terrible attack today in France and last week an attempted assassination using a chemical agent occurred in England.

"Part of the European Union and part of European solidarity is the 28 of us standing together; so if an unfriendly act is perpetrated on one European country; other European countries will stand together and stand by our allies and that’s what we would expect for us and it’s what we will do for other countries." Speaking at the Russian Embassy in south Dublin today, Mr Filatov said there is no evidence that his government is linked to the attack in Salisbury.

Earlier in Brussels Mr Varadkar revealed that Ireland is to conduct a security assessment into the presence of Russian agents operating in the state following EU agreement that the Kremlin was responsible for the attack in Salisbury. “What we’ll now consider in the coming days is to whether we want to take individual action relating to Russian diplomats in Ireland”, the Taoiseach told reporters.

Mr Varadkar said earlier that a security assessment will be carried out on Russian diplomats based in Ireland. "What we will now consider in the coming days is to whether we want to take individual action relating to Russian diplomats in Ireland, bearing in mind that what the UK did was to expel 23 diplomats who they believed, were not actually diplomats, were agents," he said.

"So we would have to do a security assessment just like they did before that, we are not going to randomly expel people who are genuine diplomats. "A security assessment will be done. The minister for Foreign Affairs Tanaiste (Simon Coveney) and I already spoke about this, in the coming days so we will make that decision I would say the early part of next week."

He said that the assessment will involved the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Justice and the Taoiseach's own department. Mr Varadkar said the UK shared their assessment and primary investigation in to the case “and obviously other countries who have intelligence agencies as well were able to share their assessment as to what happened in Salisbury”. “Proposals were made to recall the EU ambassador from Russia for consultations and that was one we supported and supported very strongly”, he said.

The Taoiseach clarified that while Ireland would have to do a security assessment “we’re not going to randomly expel people who are genuine diplomats.” He confirmed Ireland was now apportioning blame to Russia for the attack. “The European Union agreed last night and Ireland is part of the European Union – this was on our proposal – we agreed yesterday – as a European Union that we agree with the UK assessment that it’s highly likely that Russian authorities were behind the Salisbury attack”, he said.

Foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney outlined the next steps for the Government. "The UK is Ireland’s closest neighbour and friend and we are in complete solidarity with the British government as they deal with the circumstances and consequences of this appalling attack," Mr Coveney said. "Ireland shares the UK and European Council assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. The use of chemical weapons in any circumstances is completely unacceptable.

"As the Taoiseach has said this morning we will be considering next week whether it is appropriate for the Government to take additional measures in relation to the Russian Embassy in Dublin, in light of security considerations and in solidarity with the actions taken by the UK. Such actions are also under consideration by a large number of other EU Member States. I will be discussing this with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice and Equality over the coming days." The news comes as European Union leaders agreed on Friday to recall the bloc's envoy to Moscow for consultations, in a symbolic step as the Union backed Britain in blaming Russia for the nerve attack on a former Russian double agent, three diplomats said. "He is being recalled for consultations," one diplomat said.

German diplomat Markus Ederer is the current head of the European Union delegation to Russia. The show of support from the EU, at a time when Britain is grappling with its departure from the bloc, will boost UK Prime Minister Theresa May, who has been asking other nations to match her decision to expel Russians over the attack. In a joint summit statement, the leaders said the EU "agrees with the United Kingdom government's assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation".

That marked a breakthrough for Britain, which had been seeking to persuade EU leaders to condemn Russia for the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter on March 4. It was the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War Two. After talks that ran into the early hours of Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel raised the prospect of further punitive measures in response to the attack in the southwestern city of Salisbury, saying the European Union would strive to act together on the matter. "We are determined to react together, with the language we used here, but also possibly through additional measures," Merkel said at the end of the first day of the summit.

May's move to expel 23 "undeclared intelligence officials" was followed by similar measures from Moscow, including the closure of Britain's cultural centre in St Petersburg. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said she was ready to expel Russian spies. Other Baltic states and Poland could do so too. The European Union will recall their envoy to Moscow, German diplomat Markus Ederer, for one month for consultations. May, who used a dinner with EU leaders to call on all governments to confront Russia, weclomed the support. "The threat that Russia poses respects no borders," she told reporters. "This is about us standing together to uphold our values."

In the early days after the attack, May won the support of French President Emmanuel Macron, Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump when they said they shared Britain's assessment of Russian culpability. But in Brussels, May had to convince Russia's allies Greece, Hungary and Bulgaria. Highlighting the bloc's familiar divisions on how to handle Russia, Slovakia's new prime minister, Peter Pellegrini, said he wanted "constructive dialogue" with Moscow despite the poisoning of the Skripals. British authorities say the pair have been critically ill since the attack by a Soviet-designed, military-grade nerve agent called Novichok. Leaders agreed to increase their defences against Russian "hybrid" threats, including in disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks and covert actions.

May has also asked fellow European leaders to step up intelligence cooperation to start going after Russian spy networks, diplomats said. "Britain says there are these networks that organise such things like Salisbury, that these networks exist across our borders and that it would be good to go after them together," a senior EU diplomat said. Russia has offered several different motives to explain the attack on the Skripals, who may have been left brain-damaged, and to absolve Moscow of responsibility. London has labelled that disinformation and distraction. On Thursday, Moscow's ambassador to London, Vladimir Yakovenko, said that, had Novichok been used, the Skripals would have died and he rebuked British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for comparing Russia's hosting of the soccer World Cup this summer with Nazi Germany's hosting of the Olympics in 1936. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin discussed Britain's "unfriendly and provocative" policy at a session of the national security council, RIA news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying. Ties between Russia and the West plummeted over Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine. Both have triggered rounds of EU sanctions. "Russia has shown itself as a strategic enemy, not a strategic partner," a British official said.</s>THE Russian Ambassador to Ireland says any effort to expel diplomats would be seen as an "unfriendly action".

THE Russian Ambassador to Ireland says any effort to expel diplomats would be seen as an "unfriendly action".

Russian Ambassador to Ireland says any effort to expel diplomats would be seen as an 'unfriendly action'

Speaking at the Russian Embassy in south Dublin today, he said there is no evidence that his government is linked to the attack in Salisbury. Earlier in Brussels Mr Varadkar revealed that Ireland is to conduct a security assessment into the presence of Russian agents operating in the state following EU agreement that the Kremlin was responsible for the attack in Salisbury.

“What we’ll now consider in the coming days is to whether we want to take individual action relating to Russian diplomats in Ireland”, the Taoiseach told reporters. A security assessment is to be carried out in the coming days.

Mr Filatov said his officials have not yet had any contact about the issue from the Department of Foreign Affairs. He said Ireland is entitled to review the situation but any expulsions would not be in the best interests of Irish and Russian people.

"What we will now consider in the coming days is to whether we want to take individual action relating to Russian diplomats in Ireland, bearing in mind that what the UK did was to expel 23 diplomats who they believed, were not actually diplomats, were agents," he said.

"A security assessment will be done. The minister for Foreign Affairs Tanaiste (Simon Coveney) and I already spoke about this, in the coming days so we will make that decision I would say the early part of next week." Mr Varadkar said the UK shared their assessment and primary investigation in to the case “and obviously other countries who have intelligence agencies as well were able to share their assessment as to what happened in Salisbury”.

“Proposals were made to recall the EU ambassador from Russia for consultations and that was one we supported and supported very strongly”, he said. The Taoiseach clarified that while Ireland would have to do a security assessment “we’re not going to randomly expel people who are genuine diplomats.”

He confirmed Ireland was now apportioning blame to Russia for the attack. “The European Union agreed last night and Ireland is part of the European Union – this was on our proposal – we agreed yesterday – as a European Union that we agree with the UK assessment that it’s highly likely that Russian authorities were behind the Salisbury attack”, he said. Foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney outlined the next steps for the Government.

"The UK is Ireland’s closest neighbour and friend and we are in complete solidarity with the British government as they deal with the circumstances and consequences of this appalling attack," Mr Coveney said. "Ireland shares the UK and European Council assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. The use of chemical weapons in any circumstances is completely unacceptable. "As the Taoiseach has said this morning we will be considering next week whether it is appropriate for the Government to take additional measures in relation to the Russian Embassy in Dublin, in light of security considerations and in solidarity with the actions taken by the UK. Such actions are also under consideration by a large number of other EU Member States. I will be discussing this with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice and Equality over the coming days."

The news comes as European Union leaders agreed on Friday to recall the bloc's envoy to Moscow for consultations, in a symbolic step as the Union backed Britain in blaming Russia for the nerve attack on a former Russian double agent, three diplomats said. "He is being recalled for consultations," one diplomat said. German diplomat Markus Ederer is the current head of the European Union delegation to Russia.

The show of support from the EU, at a time when Britain is grappling with its departure from the bloc, will boost UK Prime Minister Theresa May, who has been asking other nations to match her decision to expel Russians over the attack. In a joint summit statement, the leaders said the EU "agrees with the United Kingdom government's assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation". That marked a breakthrough for Britain, which had been seeking to persuade EU leaders to condemn Russia for the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter on March 4. It was the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe since World War Two.

After talks that ran into the early hours of Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel raised the prospect of further punitive measures in response to the attack in the southwestern city of Salisbury, saying the European Union would strive to act together on the matter. "We are determined to react together, with the language we used here, but also possibly through additional measures," Merkel said at the end of the first day of the summit. May's move to expel 23 "undeclared intelligence officials" was followed by similar measures from Moscow, including the closure of Britain's cultural centre in St Petersburg.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said she was ready to expel Russian spies. Other Baltic states and Poland could do so too. The European Union will recall their envoy to Moscow, German diplomat Markus Ederer, for one month for consultations. May, who used a dinner with EU leaders to call on all governments to confront Russia, weclomed the support. "The threat that Russia poses respects no borders," she told reporters. "This is about us standing together to uphold our values."

In the early days after the attack, May won the support of French President Emmanuel Macron, Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump when they said they shared Britain's assessment of Russian culpability. But in Brussels, May had to convince Russia's allies Greece, Hungary and Bulgaria. Highlighting the bloc's familiar divisions on how to handle Russia, Slovakia's new prime minister, Peter Pellegrini, said he wanted "constructive dialogue" with Moscow despite the poisoning of the Skripals. British authorities say the pair have been critically ill since the attack by a Soviet-designed, military-grade nerve agent called Novichok. Leaders agreed to increase their defences against Russian "hybrid" threats, including in disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks and covert actions.

May has also asked fellow European leaders to step up intelligence cooperation to start going after Russian spy networks, diplomats said. "Britain says there are these networks that organise such things like Salisbury, that these networks exist across our borders and that it would be good to go after them together," a senior EU diplomat said. Russia has offered several different motives to explain the attack on the Skripals, who may have been left brain-damaged, and to absolve Moscow of responsibility. London has labelled that disinformation and distraction. On Thursday, Moscow's ambassador to London, Vladimir Yakovenko, said that, had Novichok been used, the Skripals would have died and he rebuked British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for comparing Russia's hosting of the soccer World Cup this summer with Nazi Germany's hosting of the Olympics in 1936.</s>A military-grade nerve toxin attack on former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter may have left them with compromised mental capacity and it is unclear whether they will recover, a British judge said on Thursday.

Britain has said Russia used a Soviet-era chemical weapon called Novichok to attack Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the first known offensive use of such a weapon on European soil since World War II. Russia has denied any involvement.

In a boost to Prime Minister Theresa May, European Union leaders agreed with Britain’s assessment “that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible and that there is no plausible alternative explanation.”

A London court gave permission for blood samples to be taken from the Skripals for examination by chemical weapons inspectors to confirm the conclusion of Britain’s Porton Down military research laboratory.

An unidentified doctor who is treating the Skripals said they were both heavily sedated and unable to communicate, and that it was not possible to assess when or to what extent either may regain mental capacity, according to the court’s ruling.

“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 said in his ruling.

Skripal, once a colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter were found slumped unconscious on a bench outside a shopping centre in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4.

They were both in a physically stable condition and were being treated “on the basis they would wish to be kept alive,” the doctor said, according to Williams’s ruling at the London’s Court of Protection, which makes decisions about the welfare of people who are unable to do so themselves.

Williams said the application to take the samples had been made urgently on Tuesday. Both Skripal and his daughter were critical but stable, although he added: “It is not inconceivable that their condition could rapidly deteriorate.”

Judge Williams said an unidentified analyst from Porton Down had given evidence that blood samples taken from the Skripals indicated exposure to a nerve agent. “The samples tested positive for the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent,” his ruling said.

A policeman who fell ill after helping the Skripals was released from hospital on Thursday after more than two weeks of treatment, officials said.

Britain won a show of support from other European states, potentially opening the way for further action against Russia after May used an EU summit to urge the region to show a united front against the challenge Moscow presented.

“We stand in unqualified solidarity with the United Kingdom in the face of this grave challenge to our shared security,” the EU leaders said in a joint statement.

In the worst crisis between London and Moscow since the Cold War, Prime Minsiter May has expelled 23 Russian diplomats who she says were spies. Russia has ordered out 23 British diplomats. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said she was already considering expelling Russian spies from her territory.

But Russia was defiant. Its ambassador to London, Vladimir Yakovenko, said on Thursday that, had Novichok been used, the Skripals would have died.

Yakovenko rebuked British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for comparing Russia’s hosting of the World Cup this summer with Nazi Germany’s hosting of the Olympics in 1936.

In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin discussed Britain’s “unfriendly and provocative” policy at a session of the national security council, RIA news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying.
The European Union agrees with the United Kingdom's assessment of the incident, stating that "there is no plausible alternative explanation" to Russian involvement.