প্রকাশ: 20/04/2022
Russia said Tuesday it was expelling 31 diplomats from three
European countries in a tit-for-tat move sparked by its military operation in
Ukraine.
The Russian foreign ministry declared 15 diplomats from the
Netherlands “persona non grata” and gave them two weeks to leave.
Moscow gave the same deadline to the embassy staff of
Belgium for its decision to kick out 21 Russian envoys last month.
Belgium’s foreign ministry told AFP the measure targeted 12
diplomats.
Moscow also gave four Austrian diplomats until Sunday to
leave, underscoring a break in relations with a country that had been
relatively neutral since the Cold War.
Belgium called Russia’s decision “totally unjustified and
unfounded” and regretted a measure that increases “Russia’s international
diplomatic isolation”.
Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said, “We are now
going to see what consequences will arise from the fact that so many colleagues
have to leave Moscow and Saint Petersburg.”
Moscow’s announcement came a week after Austrian Chancellor
Karl Nehammer became the first European leader to visit Russian President
Vladimir Putin since the Kremlin launched its military operation in Ukraine on
February 24.
The offensive has thrown Russia into international isolation
and broken many of its economic ties with the West.
Russia has still not responded to decisions by Germany and
France to each send home 40 of Moscow’s envoys, meaning that more expulsions
were likely soon.
Moscow on Tuesday also summoned Luxembourg’s envoy, warning
him that Russia may decide to take reciprocal measures following the tiny
European state’s expulsion of Moscow’s ambassador.
The Russian foreign ministry called a decision by the
Netherlands to expel Moscow envoys “groundless” and the step was taken by
Belgium “provocative”.
The ministry said Austria’s expulsion of four Russians
“seriously damaged both bilateral relations and Austria’s international
prestige”. – AFP
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