This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/422475-chizhov-eu-diplomat-follaout/

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
UK government needed good spy scandal after Brexit fallout – Russian rep to EU UK government needed good spy scandal after Brexit fallout – Russian rep to EU
(35 minutes later)
The British government needed “a good old-fashioned spy scandal” amid tensions following Brexit, Russia’s ambassador to the European Union said in the interview to RT.The British government needed “a good old-fashioned spy scandal” amid tensions following Brexit, Russia’s ambassador to the European Union said in the interview to RT.
Vladimir Chizhov said that although the UK managed to split the EU on the issue of expelling diplomats, the hysteria has not gripped the business community.Vladimir Chizhov said that although the UK managed to split the EU on the issue of expelling diplomats, the hysteria has not gripped the business community.
London can hardly be satisfied with the outcome of its call for punishing Russia over the Skripal case allegations, the official believes, as the mass expulsion of diplomats has shown disarray among the UK’s allies instead of demonstrating unity.
“I don’t think [the] British government should’ve been satisfied with this, because they are now saying that… so many countries have shown solidarity with Britain through the expulsion of Russian diplomats – if you look at the picture, they have managed to split the European union in a way Russia never could or never intended to, because half of [the] member states did not support that view of the UK, and did not follow with similar measures,” Chizhov said.
The Skripal scandal came at a “very opportune time for the UK,” Chizhov noted, as London has been riddled with multiple Brexit-related issues, lacking not only understanding with its European partners, but unity within its own government.
Chizhov noted that one of the major issues troubling the UK government is the complicated situation over the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland. “British public opinion is certainly still split over the Brexit issue,” he said.
Trans-Atlantic relations of the UK are also strained in the moment, namely with the new US tariffs on steel and aluminum. “The situation is quite complicated, one could say, that what was lacking on the shores of Albion was the good old-fashioned spy scandal,” the diplomat said.
The scandal has a feel of being orchestrated from the beginning, Chizhov said, as the UK has not shown any interest in finding out the truth behind the incident or substantiating their allegations, promptly moving on to blaming Russia.
“It all started with the British government blaming Russia for the tragic incident, not only before the investigation was completed but before it even started. Scotland Yard itself said it would take weeks and the OPCW said it might take months to reach a conclusion. But I have the impression that the British government never wanted a conclusion, that it had its own decision ready well in advance,” Chizhov stated, adding that the “swiftness” with which a number of countries followed the lead of the UK and US was really “disappointing."
Half of the European Union’s member states decided to expel Russian diplomats over the Sergei Skripal case. The move came despite zero evidence that Moscow was responsible. British Prime Minister Theresa May repeatedly accused Moscow of being behind the poisoning of former spy Skripal and his daughter in the town of Salisbury in early March.