President Donald Trump reportedly insisted that NATO allies agree to impose sanctions against Russia before he would commit to punishing the country for its alleged poisoning of a spy in Britain.
In a statement on Monday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced that 60 Russian diplomats were being expelled from the U.S. in response to the alleged use of a Russian nerve agent to poison a former Russian spy and critic of President Vladimir Putin's.
"The United States takes this action in conjunction with our NATO allies and partners around the world in response to Russia's use of a military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom, the latest in its ongoing pattern of destabilizing activities around the world," Sanders explained in a statement. "With these steps, the United States and our allies and partners make clear to Russia that its actions have consequences."
But according to Axios, the Trump administration refused to take the action against Russia until NATO allies like France and Germany also agreed.
"It's part of the Trump paradox. He still believes the U.S. and Russia have plenty of shared interests and wants to mend the relationship," Axios reporter Jonathan Swan writes. "He also thinks the only way to do this is by building a warm personal relationship with Putin, according t0 people who have discussed the issue privately with Trump. But this dual-track strategy — be nice personally and tough administratively — becomes more fantastical every time Trump authorizes a harsh action against the Kremlin."
Swan adds: "British Prime Minister Theresa May asked for Trump's support in expelling the Russian diplomats, but he was only willing to do so if other NATO allies — like France and Germany — would act together, a senior administration source told me."
