EU countries Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and the Czech Republic on Tuesday announced the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats suspected of spying, in coordinated action taken in the shadow of Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to France 24.
Russia said it would respond in kind.
Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes said her country was kicking out 21 diplomats from Russia’s embassy in Brussels and consulate in Antwerp, giving them two weeks to leave.
Wilmes said the move was made in conjunction with the neighbouring Netherlands, whose foreign ministry said it was expelling 17 Russian diplomats considered “secretly active” as intelligence officers.
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said four “senior officials” from Russia’s embassy in Dublin had been told to leave for engaging in activities “not… in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour” – code for spying.
The Czech foreign ministry said that one diplomat in the Russian embassy in Prague had been given 72 hours to leave. A Czech official told AFP the diplomat was Russia’s deputy ambassador.
“Together with our Allies, we are reducing the Russian intelligence presence in the EU,” the Czech foreign ministry tweeted.
Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, told AFP, “Responses will be provided on the basis of the principle of reciprocity.” She did not provide further details.
Separately, the Russian foreign ministry denounced the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the Netherlands, calling it an “unfriendly step” and proof that Hague had no interest “in maintaining normal diplomatic channels of communication.”
“The Dutch have outdone themselves in their desire to ‘hit’ the Russian embassy in a more painful way,” the ministry added.
The expulsions announced Tuesday ratcheted up Western blows directed at Russia following its February 24 invasion of Ukraine. Already several rounds of sanctions engineered mainly by the EU and the US have severely sapped Russia’s economy.
Russia now considers all EU countries, along with the United States and allies including Japan, Britain and Australia, to be “hostile” countries.
Poland, an EU country neighbouring Ukraine, last week expelled 45 Russian diplomats over alleged espionage, prompting Moscow to accuse Warsaw of embarking on “a dangerous escalation”.