Winston Peters says he doesn't need to issue another public statement over the Salisbury attack because our position is already clear.

The Foreign Minister has been criticised for not explicitly mentioning Russia in a statement, after the UK laid charges against two suspected Russian agents.

Newstalk ZB understands the muted tone didn't go unnoticed by the British government, with one UK Minister saying he hoped for unequivocal condemnation.

But Peters says the UK and all Five Eyes partners know exactly where New Zealand stands.

"They can be entirely assured when we have the evidence supporting an investigation, that we respect that, that we support that, and we publicly said so."

National has been critical of Peters' actions, but the Foreign Minister says the statement gave full support to the UK's position.

"We made it very clear that we supported what the UK was saying. If the National Party can't see the linkage between what the UK was saying and what we were saying was all about suspected Russian agents, then I'm afraid they have a problem with the English language."