Russian diplomats have been expelled from western countries following the nerve agent incident in Salisbury in UK. British Prime Minister Theresa May took the lead in causing the exodus. The US exiled the largest number of diplomats and even Italy expelled three though it had trade relations with Russia. Finally, NATO followed the UK and the US. The incident in Salisbury concerned the poising of a Russian spy and his daughter resident in the UK. The ex-spy was jailed in Russia for selling military secrets to Britain. Russia denied having a role in the poisoning of the spy. But there was a furore in the UK over the contamination of the cathedral city. Relations between Britain and Russia have deteriorated since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Western sanctions on Russia came in its wake. Russia has also antagonized the west by making unilateral strikes in Syria supporting the Bassad regime.
The present crisis recalls the Cold War days in the 1960s. However, it is not as bad as it was 30 years ago when the Soviet Empire fell. President Donald Trump has signed the expulsion order but had earlier expressed a liking for President Vladimir Putin. This is in spite of alleged Russian interference in the Presidential Election in the US. Donald Trump has even been accused of colluding with the Russian interference. Last July, however, the US Embassy in Moscow was downsized in retaliation against sanctions. Cyber space is another area of confrontation. Finally it redounds to Britain’s credit that Prime Minister May has rallied such western support against Russia.