Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Slovenia have in turn announced the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats, marking a further deterioration in relations with Moscow. Measures following the discovery of massacres attributed to Russian forces near kyiv on April 3.
After the shock, the indignation and the reactions following the discovery, in Boutcha, of many corpses of civilians: the expulsions of Russian diplomats in Europe follow one another. In total, in 48 hours, many diplomats were expelled to Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Lithuania, France, Spain, and the latest news in Slovenia.
Fifteen Russian diplomats having carried out espionage activities on Danish soil » are no longer accepted on the territory, notably indicated the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeppe Kofod. Same thing in Italy, where national security is invoked to explain the expulsion of 30 Russian diplomats.
These employees constitute a threat to those who seek protection with us “, explained the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock. Germany is hosting more than 300,000 Ukrainian refugees.
►Read also: War in Ukraine: images of corpses in Boutcha cause international outcry
The Russian authorities denounce the “ lack of foresight “European, regret” the reduction of the possibilities of communicating at the diplomatic level and deploring the deterioration of relations between Russia and the EU. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: retaliatory measures “.
Already last week, several European states had already taken similar measures. Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland had chosen to no longer accept on their soil the presence of certain people working for the Russian embassy or consulate.
Finally, this Tuesday, the head of European diplomacy also announced that he had decided to declare “persona non grata” several members of the Russian representation to the EU. In question, he says, contrary activities to their status as diplomats. ” The Russian Ambassador was summoned today by the Secretary General of the Foreign Action Service to inform him of this decision. “Said Josep Borrell, without specifying the number of people concerned.
►Read also : Paris and Berlin announce the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats
Beyond the indignation of countries like Slovenia, for example, in the face of the abuses attributed to Russian soldiers against Ukrainian civilians, European chancelleries, like EU diplomacy in particular, therefore seem to fear that these diplomats actually lend themselves to espionage activities.
This is what the Dutch and Belgian authorities openly assured, for example, last week, when announcing the expulsion of around thirty people ” suspected of involvement in espionage operations », in the words of the Brussels authorities. Terms taken up by Denmark on Tuesday and, in more diplomatic language, we can guess similar reasons on the side of Paris, Berlin or Rome.
