The Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland expelled 42 Russian diplomats.
The three European countries, the Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland, announced the expulsion of 42 Russian diplomats from them on Tuesday.
The Irish government has announced that it has ordered the expulsion of four Russian diplomats from the country.
The Netherlands also announced the expulsion of 17 Russian diplomats, claiming that the diplomats were intelligence officers working under the guise of diplomats.
Belgium also announced the expulsion of 21 Russian diplomats from the country on Tuesday.
Russia’s foreign ministry summoned ambassadors from the Baltic states on Tuesday.
According to the Guardian newspaper, following the escalation of diplomatic tensions between Russia and the West, the ambassadors of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were summoned to inform them of Moscow’s retaliation and the expulsion of a number of their diplomats.
Diplomatic tensions between Moscow and European capitals have risen since Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine began last month.
Prior to the escalation of the Ukraine crisis, Eastern European countries, including the Baltic states, followed in the footsteps of Washington and, under various pretexts, expelled Russian diplomats, which was accompanied by Russian retaliation.
Following the Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine conflict, three Baltic states were among the supporters of Moscow’s cut-off of Swift.
“We are now witnessing how Russophobia has taken on an unprecedented nature and can be seen almost everywhere in the West,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday.