Paul Ryan: Russia is Causing 'Division and Chaos' in America and Other Countries

Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, described the White House's decision to expel Russian intelligence officers from the U.S. as a 'correct decision' and stated that it was made in alignment with Britain, our ally. Mr. Ryan, who is in Prague, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty shortly after the announcement of the expulsion of Russian intelligence officers: 'It is very good news that our allies, including the Czech Republic where we are, made the same decision. I think it was a timely and appropriate decision.' The Trump administration issued an order on Monday to expel 60 Russian agents and also closed the Russian consulate in Seattle. At the same time, EU member states collectively expelled a number of Russian diplomats. The actions of the U.S. and European countries are in response to Moscow's potential role in the poisoning of a former spy in Britain. Previously, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats and accused Moscow of being involved in the planning and poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury with a nerve agent. In response to the question of whether it was the right time to expel Russian diplomats while investigations into the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter are still ongoing, Mr. Ryan said: 'I think Britain has completely clarified the matter. This is something Russia has done before, and we are aware of it. This behavior is intolerable. It is not something civilized nations should engage in.' Paul Ryan expressed support for increasing pressure on Russia, stating that Russia is causing 'division and chaos' in America and other countries. He added: 'These actions are not tolerated by Western democracies and should fundamentally not be tolerated. Therefore, it is important to respond immediately to Russia's actions.' In his interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Mr. Ryan also mentioned that he plans to discuss 'Yevgeny Nikulin,' accused of extensive hacking of American companies' networks in 2012 and 2013, with Czech officials. This Russian hacker targeted sites including 'LinkedIn.' Robert Pelikan, the Czech Minister of Justice, must decide the fate of Yevgeny Nikulin. He has stated that Miloš Zeman, the President of the Czech Republic – who is said to have positions close to the Kremlin – has requested that this accused individual be extradited to Russia. Paul Ryan said: 'I will raise this issue with Czech government officials. This is a top priority for the U.S. government because we respect the rule of law. We are also fully confident that the Czech government will act according to the law.' Yevgeny Nikulin, who has been detained in the Czech Republic since October 2016, has denied the allegations made by the U.S. regarding extensive hacking. The defense team for this accused individual has stated that if he is extradited to the U.S., he will not have access to a 'fair trial.' Defense lawyers have requested that this accused individual be extradited to Russia.