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TIP Senior Fellow: PM May’s Response to Russia over Poisoning Ex-Spy was “Sensible”

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has demonstrated that her country will not be pushed around in the wake of the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter with a military grade nerve agent in the city of Salisbury, The Israel Project’s Senior Fellow, Julie Lenarz, argued in an op-ed for The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.

“The government’s response was sensible and measured,” Lenarz said, reflecting on Theresa May’s decision to expel 23 high-ranking Russian diplomats and the announcement that no Royal or government figures will attend this summer’s World Cup in Russia.

Lenarz said that what happened in the market town of Salisbury was not only a “crass warning to Putin’s enemies abroad”, but “also testimony for the contempt Russia has for liberal democracies.” She added: “This demands a robust retaliation.”

Lenarz questioned if the government has gone far enough in punishing Russia, but said that “the government’s calculation was likely designed to leave various options on the table, depending on Russia’s reaction to the announcement.” The U.K. could take a series of measures against Russia, including economic sanctions and pushing the Magnitsky Act.

“If she is smart,” Lenarz said, “Theresa May will take a lesson from the Putin handbook. Rather than merely reacting to events, she should work together in conjunction with NATO partners to actively shape the response to Russian aggression in Europe and beyond.” In Syria, the Russians are allied with the regime and work together with Iran to keep Assad in power.

Lenarz stated that Russia’s failure to explain how the nerve agent was used on British soil leaves only one conclusion. “This was an act of aggression ordered at the highest level within the Russian government,” she said. “All of this is evidence of the fact that Russia is not fearful of using extreme tactics to pursue its political agendas.”

In conclusion, Lenarz argued that “The Prime Minister demonstrated today that not only should our enemies think twice before they attack but that she is a worthy adversary.”

[Photo: Fox News / YouTube]