WASHINGTON: United States ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats andthe shuttering of the Russian consulate in Seattle in response to Moscow’ssuspected involvement in the poisoning of former Russian double agentSergei Skripal in England, AP news reported on Monday.

The move may be contingent on how European capitals respond to the nerveagent attack, a source said

It was reported on Sunday that President Donald Trump was considering theexpulsion of some Russian diplomats.

Moscow has denied responsibility for the March 4 attack on Skripal and hisdaughter, the first known offensive use of a nerve toxin in Europe sinceWorld War Two. Britain expelled 23 Russians as a result and Moscowretaliated by expelling the same number of Britons.

However, Reuters reported earlier that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hadstated that Russia will respond in kind if the United States expelledRussian diplomats. -Agencies