Who's standing with the UK? World leaders react to tensions with Russia over Salisbury spy poisoning
Leaders around the world speak out in support of the UK while others call for "impartial" investigations into the chemical attack.
Thursday 15 March 2018 02:12, UK
As tensions continue to flare between Russia and the UK over the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, leaders and diplomats around the world have been reacting.
The UK has ordered the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats, while Moscow has denied involvement in the attack against Sergei Skripal and hit out at "propaganda" in "uneducated" Britain.
:: United States
At a meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, the US ambassador Nikki Haley said: "When our friends in Great Britain face a challenge, the US will always be there for them. Always."
Later, the White House said in a statement that the US "stands in solidarity with its closest ally".
It added: "The United States shares the United Kingdom's assessment that Russia is responsible for the reckless nerve agent attack on a British citizen and his daughter, and we support the United Kingdom's decision to expel Russian diplomats as a just response.
"This latest action by Russia fits into a pattern of behaviour in which Russia disregards the international rules-based order, undermines the sovereignty and security of countries worldwide, and attempts to subvert and discredit Western democratic institutions and processes.
:: Germany
On Tuesday, Germany’s foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said: "We condemn this attack with a banned chemical weapon in the strongest possible terms.
"We stand shoulder-to-shoulder in solidarity with our British friends on this issue and are liaising closely with the UK Government.
"It is clear that the perpetrators must be brought to justice. If it is confirmed that Russia is behind this, then this would be a very serious matter indeed."
:: France
After a phone call between Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron on Monday night, Downing Street said the French President "offered his solidarity with the UK" and the two leaders "agreed that the French and British governments should co-ordinate closely as the investigation developed and following Russia's response".
However, on Wednesday, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said it was too early for Paris to decide whether action should be taken.
At the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, France's representative Francois Delattre said: "The haphazard re-emergence of these barbaric weapons with such deadly effects, which can be seen by their recurrent use in Syria and in the Middle East but also in Asia and now in Europe, cannot be tolerated."
:: Australia
The Australian high commissioner to the UK, Alexander Downer, has stated his country is "right behind" the UK over the "Russian outrage".
As the Prime Minister's deadline for Russian answers over the nerve agent attack passed at midnight on Tuesday, he tweeted: "Deadline passes. #Australia backs #Britain in its dispute with #Russia."
:: Poland
At the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Polish representative Joanna Wronecka said her country was "gravely concerned" about the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
She added: "We condemn this unprecedented attack on the UK, the first of its kind in Europe since the Second World War.
"We express our full solidarity with the British people and government as well as our readiness to support our ally in the investigation."
:: Estonia
Foreign minister Sven Mikser described the attack as a "brutal violation of international law and order", adding it "demonstrates complete disregard for human life and suffering".
He said: "We offer our utmost support to our ally and friend the UK in its efforts to resolve the issue."
:: Latvia
The country's foreign ministry said: "Latvia supports the UK's efforts of carrying out an investigation into the circumstances of the perpetrated crime."
:: Lithuania
In a statement, the former Soviet nation said it "expresses strong solidarity with the United Kingdom following an audacious criminal act - the poisoning of a former military intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter."
:: Sweden
Olof Skoog, Sweden's ambassador to the United Nations, said the attempted murder was unprecedented and those responsible must be held to account.
"We stand by the UK and express our strong solidarity in dealing with this grave security issue," he said.
Mr Skoog added that the class of chemical weapon used in the attack was developed by the Soviet Union and inherited by the Russian Federation.
:: Ivory Coast
UN representative Bernard Tanoh-Boutchoue told the Security Council: "We express our sincere solidarity to the authorities of the United Kingdom and wish full and speedy recovery to the contaminated.
"We have always condemned and continued condemning any use of chemical weapons whatever the form. We therefore request all possible light be shed on the event which took place in Salisbury."
:: Ethiopia
UN ambassador Tekeda Alemu expressed Ethiopia's "solidarity with victims as well as the people and government of the United Kingdom".
He said: "We believe co-operation between Russia and the UK in good faith is very critical to ensure that this issue will not get out of hand and undermine even further relations between the two countries."
:: China
The country's UN ambassador, Ma Zhaoxu, called for an "impartial investigation based on facts". He added: "We hope the relevant parties properly handle this issue through appropriate channels."
:: Kazakhstan
The country's UN ambassador called for a resolution through "diplomatic means".
Kairat Umarov said: "Since it is a very politically sensitive issue we should be extremely cautious and careful in drawing hasty conclusions without credible and convincing facts on the ground."
:: Bolivia
At the Security Council meeting, Bolivian UN ambassador Sacha Sergio Llorenty Solíz said: "Bolivia expresses our firm and categoric condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, this is unjustifiable and criminal whoever commits these crimes and wherever they commit them.
"This is a serious threat to international security and we hope that an investigation will be carried out in a completely comprehensive way through the competent bodies."
:: Peru
UN ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra said: "We would like to express our grave concern at the use of a nerve agent in a public space which has seriously endangered the lives of at least three people in the United Kingdom.
"What has occurred is lamentable and we express our solidarity with the victims. The incident must be investigated in the framework of the rule of law and due process through the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and other competent bodies."
:: EU
European Council president Donald Tusk said: "Irrespective of Brexit and the tough negotiations, I would like to express my full solidarity with Prime Minister Theresa May in the face of the brutal attack, which was inspired, most likely, by Moscow.
"I am ready to put this issue on the agenda of next week's EU summit."