The NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said the permanent size of the Russian mission would be cut from 30 to 20 people due to the poisoning of the Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury earlier this month. A total of 27 nations have now announced the expulsion of more than 140 Russian diplomats. Moldova, Ireland, Australia and Belgium are the latest countries to act, after the UK made the first move by expelling 23 envoys earlier this month.