The conflict between Europe and Russia is getting worse.
Now Russia has expelled three diplomats from the country.
The accusation: You are said to have participated in the Navalny protests.
Russia has three diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden expelled.
They are said to have participated in protests against the Navalny detention.
The outcry in other European countries is great - Angela Merkel also finds clear words.
Update from February 5, 6:28 p.m.:
Now the EU
foreign affairs officer
Josep Borell has also spoken out.
During a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov he learned of the expulsion of three diplomats.
The Spaniard sharply condemned the Russian incident: “This decision should be reconsidered.
The European Union stands united and in solidarity on the side of the states concerned. "
Russia had expelled diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden from the country.
They are said to have participated in protests by Navalny supporters.
The Foreign Affairs Representative Borell spoke personally to Lavrov that morning and held a joint press conference with the Russian Foreign Minister.
After Navalny protests: Russia knows diplomats - Merkel with clear criticism: "Far from the rule of law"
First report from February 5th, 6:08 pm:
Berlin - "We consider this deportation to be unjustified and believe that this is another facet of what is currently being observed in Russia, which is far from the rule of law." These words come from Chancellor Angela Merkel and show: The tone in the dispute with Russia and Vladimir Putin is (even) rougher.
Earlier, a report was made public that Russia had expelled several EU diplomats from the country.
The diplomats concerned come from Germany, Poland and Sweden and have been declared "undesirable persons".
They are accused of taking part in “illegal protests” by the opposition against the imprisonment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
At least that is what the Foreign Ministry said in Moscow on Friday (February 5).
The exact number of diplomats deported was not given, but they are supposed to leave Russia "in the near future".
Merkel clearly after diplomatic expulsion: "Russia far from the rule of law"
The Swedish Foreign Ministry has now confirmed to
the
German Press Agency
that a Swedish diplomat should be expelled.
At the same time, the Russian claims were emphatically rejected.
Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke at a press conference with her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron of three diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has meanwhile also spoken out.
The expulsion is "in no way justified" and further damages the relationship between Russia and Europe.
"If the Russian Federation does not reconsider this cut, it will not go unanswered," said the SPD politician.
The Chancellor also suggested the same thing: "We reserve the right to continue sanctions against individual people," said Merkel at a press conference.
Three diplomats expelled from Russia - criticism from Merkel and Maas
On January 23, numerous Kremlin critics protested against Navalny's arrest in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
From a Russian point of view, the participation of the diplomats is incompatible with their diplomatic status.
Thousands of people were arrested two weeks ago.
Foreign Minister Maas defended the German diplomat for having obtained information about developments on the ground by lawful means.
The expulsion of the three diplomats is only the next step in the EU's dispute with Russia.
First, Kremlin critic Navalny was poisoned - his life was ultimately saved by a doctor in Omsk, Siberia, and later in Germany - on his return to Russia he was arrested and sentenced on Tuesday (February 2), a suspended sentence that had already been imposed To serve penal colony.
List of rubric lists: © Bernd von Jutrczenka