--- description: New Zealand can't find any Russian operatives to expel in retaliation for the alleged nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England title: New Zealand Can't Find Any Russian Spies To Expel image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb949676c81e8c323/6988e63a656a3f1124bd281a/gettyimages-865616276.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [New Zealand](/tag/new-zealand/) ## New Zealand Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # New Zealand Would Definitely Expel Russian Spies Like Other Countries - But It Can’t Find Any by [Flora Carr](/author/flora-carr/) ## Flora Carr Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 27, 2018 11:51 AM CUT  Then Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters speak to media during a coalition agreement signing at Parliament on October 24, 2017 in Wellington, New Zealand. Then Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters speak to media during a coalition agreement signing at Parliament on October 24, 2017 in Wellington, New Zealand.Hagen Hopkins—Getty Images by [Flora Carr](/author/flora-carr/) ## Flora Carr Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 27, 2018 11:51 AM CUT [New Zealand](http://www.thedrive.com/tech/19193/new-zealand-mulls-regulatory-approval-of-kitty-hawk-flying-taxis "undefined") announced on Tuesday that it would expel any Russian spies from the country – if only it could find any. Over a hundred Russian diplomats alleged to be operatives in western countries have been told to return to Moscow, in retaliation for the alleged poisoning of former double agent [Sergei Skripal and his daughter](http://time.com/5199472/skripal-russia-uk-strength-poison/ "undefined") in Salisbury, England on March 4\. The U.S. announced on Monday that it would [expel 60 Russian diplomats](http://time.com/5215331/us-expels-russian-diplomats/ "undefined"), joining the ranks of Australia, the U.K., which has expelled 23 Russian diplomats, and other European countries who have issued similar ultimatums following the nerve agent attack on Skripal. However, New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Arden [announced](https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/353455/watch-pm-on-russian-diplomats-we-would-expel-them "undefined") on Radio New Zealand that there were no Russian spies working under diplomatic cover in her country. “While other countries have announced they are expelling undeclared Russian intelligence agents, officials have advised there are no individuals here in New Zealand who fit this profile. If there were, we would have already taken action,” Arden said, [according to](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/27/new-zealand-expel-russian-spies-cant-find-any "undefined") _The Guardian_. “We remain steadfast with our international partners in our shared concern about the Salisbury nerve agent attack,” she added. New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister, Winston Peters, also added that New Zealand remained staunch supporters of the U.K., and condemned the assassination attempt that took place on British soil. “As part of our ongoing support for the United Kingdom, along with the international community, we will keep possible future actions under review and remain in close contact with our international partners,” he said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5216667/new-zealand-cant-find-russian-spies/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5216667/new-zealand-cant-find-russian-spies/"},"headline":"New Zealand Would Definitely Expel Russian Spies Like Other Countries - But It Can’t Find Any","datePublished":"2018-03-27T11:51:51.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T19:46:58.811Z","description":"\"If there were, we would have already taken action\"","url":"https://time.com/5216667/new-zealand-cant-find-russian-spies/","keywords":["New Zealand","United Kingdom","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb949676c81e8c323/6988e63a656a3f1124bd281a/gettyimages-865616276.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Flora Carr","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/flora-carr/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb949676c81e8c323/6988e63a656a3f1124bd281a/gettyimages-865616276.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Jacinda Ardern Signs Coalition Agreements With NZ First And Greens","caption":"Jacinda Ardern Signs Coalition Agreements With NZ First And Greens","creditText":"Hagen Hopkins—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/new-zealand/","name":"New Zealand"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5216667/new-zealand-cant-find-russian-spies/","name":"New Zealand Would Definitely Expel Russian Spies Like Other Countries - But It Can’t Find Any"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Trump Expels 60 Russian Diplomats in Response to Ex-Spy Poisoning","description":"The Trump administration expelled 60 Russian diplomats on Monday and ordered Russia’s consulate in Seattle to close, as the United States and European nations sought to jointly punish Moscow for its alleged role in poisoning an ex-spy in Britain.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/wr59i9rP/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-03-26T14:44:25.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wr59i9rP.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5216667/new-zealand-cant-find-russian-spies/","duration":"PT1M13S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5216667/new-zealand-cant-find-russian-spies/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```