Iceland has announced in a statement that the country's high officials will be boycotting the World Cup this summer. The declaration comes after the United States alongside the EU publicized the dismissal of senior diplomats over the poisoning of a former double agent in Britain.
Per the statement, officials in high governmental positions will not set foot in Russia. The Russian Ambassador to Iceland was summoned and briefed on the resolution taken on Monday. Here is what an excerpt from the statement released by the Foreign Ministry of Iceland reads [Click here to read the full statement]:
"The government of Iceland has decided to stand in solidarity with the United Kingdom and other western states and join in their coordinated response to the chemical attack in Salisbury in England earlier this month. The Salisbury attack constitutes a grave violation of international law and threatens security and peace in Europe. This is the first offensive use of nerve agent in Europe since World War II.
All of Iceland’s closest allies and partners have decided to take measures against Russia in the wake of the Salisbury attack, including the Nordic countries, most member states of NATO as well as several EU nations. Among the measures taken by Iceland is the temporary postponement of all high-level bilateral dialogue with Russian authorities. Consequently, Icelandic leaders will not attend the FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer."
Nonetheless, the Icelandic team is expected to put up a great show in Russia after impressing in the Euro’s back in 2016.
