WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The White House continued on Monday to lash out at Russia over an alleged ex-spy's poisoning attack in Britain, saying Russia's behavior was "brazen and reckless." However, adding the United States wanted to talk with Russia over the issues of mutual concern.
Citing the U.S. expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and intelligence officials and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah said the U.S. action is a response to Russia's reported use of a military-grade chemical weapon on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer, and his daughter in London earlier in March.
Shah said that "the poisoning in the U.K. that has led to today's announcement was a very brazen action. It was a reckless action. It endangered not just two individuals who were poisoned, but many civilians -- many innocent civilians. And this is not the type of conduct that the United States or our allies can accept."
The U.S. effort was later joined by 14 EU member states, Ukraine and Canada.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday it was nonsense to think that Moscow would have poisoned the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. Russia also vowed on Monday to retaliate after U.S., Europe expel its diplomats.
Shah admitted that this was a coordinated effort. "The president spoke with many foreign leaders, our European allies and others, and encouraged them to join the United States in this -- in this announcement. "
However, he said that Trump "still remains open to working with the Russians on areas of mutual concern: counterterrorism, for example, and others."
The U.S. relationship with Russia is up to the Russian government, he said. "We want to have a cooperative relationship. The president wants to work with Russia ... the president will continue diplomacy was Russia and with Putin."
As for Russia' threatening to take retaliations earlier on Monday, Shah said "the ball's in their court with respect to how they want to respond."
Trump last week told the media that he and Putin might meet in the near future.
When asked about the meeting, Shah did not rule out its possibility despite Monday's expulsion either.
"The ball's in their court. They -- it is up to them on whether we're going to have a fruitful and constructive relationship, or an adversarial relationship," he said.
