Expulsion of Russian diplomats from Estonia and Latvia

Estonia and Latvia announced the expulsion of Russian ambassadors to their respective countries on Monday, January 23, after taking a similar decision hours earlier. Moscow to the Estonian Ambassador.

A third Baltic state, Lithuania, announced last October that it was expelling Russian officials over the actions and reports.Inapplicable, non-person after declaration as ambassador of that countryIn April 2022.

principle of reciprocity

«We respect the principle of reciprocity in relations with Russia“, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said in a tweet on Monday, insisting that its ambassador leave Russia on February 7, the same day the Russian ambassador leaves Estonia.

Russia announced on Monday that it would expel the Estonian ambassador in protest.Total Russophobia” and this “Hostile cultureFrom Tallinn, after being evacuated earlier in January 21 Russian ambassadors and other employees of the Russian embassy.

An index date

This Monday afternoon, Latvia announced that it had asked the Russian ambassador to leave Latvian territory and decided to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Moscow. “The Ambassador of Russia will leave Latvia after February 24, 2023. Likewise, the Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to Russia will leave Russia by February 24.The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Riga prompted its decision by Russia’s pursuit of “Large-scale military aggression against Ukraine, launched on February 24, 2022, as well as solidarity with Estonia and Lithuania“. In April, Lithuania cut diplomatic ties with Russia The atrocity in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.

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Russians and Westerners have stepped up deportations of diplomats in recent years, and since Russian forces launched an offensive on Ukraine on February 24, 2022. But this is the first time since its inception that ambassadors have been sent back to their home countries. attack

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