PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- France will expel four Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England earlier this month, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian said on Monday.

In a statement to the press, Mr. Le Drian stressed that this decision was made "following the conclusions of the European Council of March 22 and 23."

The EU meeting considered the attack of Salisbury constitutes a serious threat to EU's collective security and international law.

"We have notified today to the Russian authorities our decision to expel four Russian personnel from the French territory under diplomatic status, within a week," concluded the French minister.