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Menendez Calls on the Trump Admin to Partner with UK Following Revelations that Russia Ordered Poisoning of Former Spy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May announced on Monday that it was “highly likely” Russia ordered the poisoning in England of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia:

“Yesterday’s announcement by Prime Minister May once again makes absolutely certain that there must be real consequences for Russia’s disruptive and vicious behavior throughout the world.   The Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 requires that the President make a determination if a state has used a chemical weapon and impose sanctions.  According to the law, the Chair and Ranking of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee can trigger the determination process and I expect to move forward quickly to do so.

“As the international community formulates its response, I also intend to look into a number of questions raised by this attack.   For example, the Trump Administration designated North Korea a State Sponsor of Terrorism following the poisoning of Kim Jong Un’s relative in Thailand.  The Administration should also consider whether this designation should apply to Russia. 

“Once again, I call on the Trump Administration to recognize the danger the Russian government continues to pose to Americans and our friends around the world. The United States and the many allies of the United Kingdom must stand ready to support her in the aftermath of this brazen attack.”

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