Within the framework of a new round of negotiations in Turkey for the ceasefire on Ukrainian territory, several countries of the European Union have announced the expulsion of more than 50 Russian officials, all accusing the act with reasons of “diplomatic security” or “espionage” motives.
(Read: Ukraine between armies and mercenaries: Russia’s possible strategy)
In the last hours, the countries that have opted for these measures have been Poland, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlandswhile Russia responded with the expulsion of different officials of the Baltic countries on their land.
(You are interested in: Russia announces reduction of military activity in kyiv and Chernigov)
The Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin announced on Tuesday the decision to expel four high-ranking Russian diplomats from the country for security reasons.
The head of the Dublin Executive, a coalition between centrists, Christian Democrats and Greens, explained today in the Lower House (Dáil) that the four senior officials were expelled because they have not carried out their activities “in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behavior”.
Martin explained that he made that decision after receiving “security advice” on Monday from the competent authorities. The “taoiseach” (prime minister) assured that the measure sends a “clear message” about Ireland’s rejection of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The centrist leader also pointed out that the Russian ambassador in Dublin, Yury Filatov, was called today for consultations by his Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, to ask for explanations on the matter.
The opposition took advantage of the announcement made by Martin to ask again for Filatov’s expulsion, but the prime minister recalled that he has addressed this matter with the rest of the community countries and that a joint position has not been reached.
In this sense, the “taoiseach” repeated that he prefers to maintain a Russian diplomatic presence in his country to have “communication channels”.
The Belgian provision
This decision is not a sanction, it is only linked to our national security. Diplomatic channels remain open with Russia, the Russian embassy can continue to function.
The Belgian Government decided to expel 21 people accredited as diplomats at the Russian Embassy in Brussels and at the Russian Consulate General in Antwerp for his involvement in espionage and influence operations that threaten the security of the country, announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sophie Wilmès.
Those affected by the decision must leave Belgium within 15 days, according to the head of Belgian diplomacy during a debate in the Federal Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee.
The measures of the Netherlands
These people have ‘diplomat’ written on their business cards, when in fact they are doing something else entirely
The Dutch government announced the expulsion of 17 “intelligence officers” from Moscow that they were attached to the Russian representations in the Netherlands “under diplomatic cover” and argued that the presence in the country of these spies is “a threat to national security”.
In a brief message, the Dutch Foreign Minister, Wopke Hoekstra, explained that this step was taken in coordination with other “like-minded” countries and that this measure is carried out “in the context of national security.”
The detection of the presence of these 17 spies in the Russian embassy in The Hague is based on information from the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MVID) of the Netherlands. Hoekstra stressed that these diplomats suspected of espionage must leave the Netherlands within a maximum period of two weeks.
The Russian ambassador to the Netherlands was summoned for Tuesday afternoon to inform him of the details of the decision.
North Macedonia also ordered the expulsion of five Russian envoys on Monday, its Foreign Ministry reported..
“The [diplomáticos] on the list were carrying out activities contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” the ministry explained in a statement, referring to an international treaty that includes agreements related to diplomatic protocols.
The diplomats have five days to leave North Macedonia, the source said. The incident marks the latest expulsion of Russian diplomats from Western countries, after the United States, Poland and the Baltic states took similar steps earlier this month.
The small Balkan country had already expelled Russian diplomats on three other occasions in recent years, following the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the English city of Salisbury, which the United Kingdom blamed on Moscow.
Poland expelled 45 Russian diplomats after arresting a low-level official on suspicion of espionagejoining the counterintelligence offensive that is being carried out in the east of the European Union after Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.
The diplomats, who have been identified by Polish intelligence as Russian special service officers and their associates, will be required to leave the country within the next five days, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said on Wednesday.
Russia’s “aggression against Ukraine shows that it is an unfriendly country, hostile to Poland,” Jasina said. Separately, authorities detained a civil registry employee in Warsaw who allegedly provided Russians with documents that could be used to create false identities.
The Russian response
The Foreign Ministry of Russia announced the expulsion of ten diplomats from the three Baltic republics, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuaniawhich adopted the same measure on March 18 due to the Russian “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Moscow summoned the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian ambassadors to the Foreign Office, to whom it presented a “firm protest” for the “provocative” actions taken by the three countries.
The note specifies that the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats is not justified, despite the fact that the Russian military intervention in the neighboring country has been condemned by the majority of the international community.
For this reason, Russia decided to apply the principle of “reciprocity” and withdraw the accreditation of four Lithuanian, three Estonian and three Latvian diplomats. The ten Baltic diplomats must leave Russian territory within the same time limits granted to their Russian colleagues.
According to the Balts, the expelled Russian diplomats worked for Moscow’s intelligence services, which were complicit in “planning the invasion of Ukraine.”
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from EFE and AFP
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