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Mogherini Held Consultations With Recalled EU Ambassador to Russia

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Sunday held consultations with EU Ambassador to Russia Markus Ederer, the EU diplomatic service said in a press release.
Sputnik

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.

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