Estonia and Latvia responded to Russia on Monday with the withdrawal of their respective ambassadors in Moscow in response to the expulsion of the Estonian ambassador to the Russian Federation, which gave the Estonian diplomat two weeks to leave the country.
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The diplomatic conflict between the two Baltic States and Russia began on Monday morning, when the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the Estonian ambassador, Margus Laidre, had been summoned and was told “a firm protest regarding the actions of the Estonian authorities”.
The ministry in Moscow added that the diplomat “must leave the Russian Federation on February 7, 2023.”
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The Russian Ministry said that Estonian leaders have deliberately destroyed relations with Russia in recent years and described Estonia’s recent decision to expel 13 Russian diplomats and eight technical workers as the last straw.
In response to the Russian decision, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that the Russian ambassador in Tallinn will also leave on February 7.
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“Estonia takes note of Russia’s decision today to reduce the diplomatic presence to the level of chargé d’affaires,” the Estonian ministry said.
We uphold the principle of parity in relations with Russia, which means that the Russian ambassador will leave at the same time as the Estonian ambassador to Russia.
“We uphold the principle of parity in relations with Russia, which means that the Russian ambassador will leave at the same time as the Estonian ambassador to Russia,” the ministry added on social media.
The Estonian public broadcasting website Err.ee reported that Reinsalu said that would urge the countries of the European Union (EU) to adhere to the idea of parity in diplomatic relations with Russiain which the number of diplomats in each country is equal.
Estonia will be represented in Moscow by a temporary charge d’affaires once its ambassador leaves and the same will be the case for the Moscow embassy in Tallinn and the Latvian embassy in Moscow once Ambassador Riekstinš leaves on February 24, on first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Subsequently, the Latvian Foreign Minister, Edgars Rinkevics, announced the withdrawal of his ambassador to Russia, Maris Riekstinš, starting tomorrow, Tuesday, and asked Russia to reduce its representation in Riga, which means in practice the withdrawal of the Russian ambassador, Mikhail Vanin, in Latvia.
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On his Twitter account, Rinkevicš wrote: “Due to the ongoing brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine and in solidarity with Estonia, Latvia will reduce the level of diplomatic relations with Russia from February 24, demanding that Russia act accordingly.” .
There have been reciprocal expulsions of diplomats and mutual reductions in representation between the Baltics and Russia since March 2022, when the three Baltic countries expelled a total of 10 Russian diplomats in an apparently coordinated move to express solidarity with Ukraine. Those Russians were suspected of espionage.
On January 11, Estonia told Russia to cut the number of staff at its embassy in Tallinn by more than half.
Thirteen diplomats and eight members of the administrative, technical and service staff will return to Moscow on February 1, according to local media.
EFE
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