On 26 March 2018 , following the United States National Security Council ′ s recommendation , to demonstrate the U.S. 's support for the UK 's position on the Salisbury poisoning incident , president Donald Trump ordered the expulsion of sixty Russian diplomats and closure of Russian consulate in Seattle . Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov responded to the simultaneous expulsion of the total of 140 Russian diplomats by 25 countries by accusing the U.S. government of " blackmailing " other nations
Salisbury poisoning incident
Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
Russia–United States relations