Berlin’s new socialist foreign minister torpedoed proposed Brussels sanctions to punish Russia and instead called the nation an “important partner”.

Heiko Maas said: “Russia will remain a difficult partner.

“But Russia will also be needed for solutions to the big international conflicts and so we want to remain in dialogue.”

His comments appear to counter German Chancellor Angela Merkel who quickly condemned the attack - which has left former Russia spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia critically ill in hospital – and suggest a split in both German and EU ranks over Russia.

EU leaders, top officials and NATO reacted in quick succession following the attack.

Mrs Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said: “Merkel said it’s up to Russia to quickly provide answers to the British government’s justified questions and to heed the call to completely and immediately lay bare the relevant chemical weapons programme to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.”

EU foreign ministers on Monday spoke out against the “reckless and illegal” nerve agent attack on the UK and called on Russia to “address urgently” questions raised by London.

The group of 28 saw it took the British government’s assessment Moscow was behind the assault “extremely seriously”.

During a meeting in Brussels over the weekend, Mr Johnson said he was “struck” by the fact that no county was “fooled” by Vladimir Putin’s denial and that “most” had felt the impact of aggressive Russian behaviour.

He stated: “When I met my European counterparts in Brussels yesterday, what struck me most is that no-one is fooled.