German SPD Lawmaker Warns West Anti-Russian Moves Over Skripal Case May Backfire

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ralf Stegner, the deputy chairman of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), said Thursday that the anti-Russian steps taken by numerous Western countries over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal had made relations between Russia and the West tenser, and warned that they may backfire.

"The expulsion of diplomats was not the best solution. It has put in motion the escalation spiral, which may seriously backfire," Stegner told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

The German lawmaker also demanded that London finally provide evidence that Russia was responsible for the attack on Skripal. He also pointed out that in line with European values, assumptions and plausibility were not enough to accuse somebody.

READ MORE: UK Uses Skripal Case as Instrument of Anti-Russian Propaganda – Ex-Intel Chief

After the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury on March 4, London accused Russia of orchestrating the attack and expelled 23 Russian diplomats as a punitive measure. More than 25 other countries, including Germany, have also decided to expel Russian diplomatic workers over the Skripal case.

Russia has strongly rejected the accusations, and retaliated by expelling the same number of UK diplomats and closing the British Council in Russia.