The Dutch government accuses Moscow of trying to smuggle spies into the country – which, among other things, hosts the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague. For example, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) also has its base in The Hague.
The expulsions are the latest in a series of diplomatic tussles between the countries – tussles that began shortly after Russia launched its full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine nearly a year ago.
“Despite several attempts by the Dutch to find a solution, Russia continues to try to bring intelligence personnel under diplomatic cover into the Netherlands,” Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said in a statement.
“We cannot and we will not allow this,” he continues.
At the same time, the Dutch foreign minister underlines that it is still important to “keep the embassies open as communication channels, even now when relations with Russia are more difficult than ever”.
The Russian diplomats have been given two weeks to leave the country. A Russian trade office in Amsterdam will also be closed.
The Netherlands also accuses Moscow of denying diplomats in Moscow and St. Petersburg Russian visas. The Dutch consulate in St. Petersburg will therefore close on Monday.
Shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the government of the Netherlands expelled 17 Russian citizens. Russia then responded by kicking out 15 Dutch diplomats.