Iceland announces diplomatic boycott of 2018 World Cup in Russia
Iceland has declared a diplomatic boycott against the World Cup, which will take place in Russia in summer 2018.
A statement on the boycott was released by the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
"Iceland stands in solidarity with UK over the Salisbury attack, [and is] taking diplomatic measures against Russia. High-level bilateral dialogue with Russia [has been] postponed, resulting in Icelandic leaders not attending the FIFA World Cup. We urge Russia to cooperate with the investigation & the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons)", Gudlaugur Thor, Foreign Minister of Iceland, said in a tweet.
After the poisoning of former GRU (Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate) colonel Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British town of Salisbury, British Prime Minister Theresa May said that British ministers and high-ranking representatives would not attend the 2018 World Cup. This decision particularly affected representatives of the British royal family.
Earlier, in March, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin called for a boycott of the World Cup in Russia.
Polish President Andrzej Duda is also boycotting the opening of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.