After expelling Dutch diplomats, Russia orders 4 German diplomats to leave
Embassy of Slovakia
During the day, Dutch ambassador Renee Jones-Bos had said that Russia has expelled two diplomats over the spy row.
The spy row escalated into a full-blownexpulsion drama in Russia as German foreign minister Heiko Maas said today that Moscow had decided to expel four German diplomats in a tit-for-tat response after Germany ordered the expulsion of four Russian diplomats.
Russia expelled diplomats from 23 countries on Friday.
The Russian foreign ministry said it had summoned the heads of missions from 23 countries to tell them that some other their diplomats had to leave the country.
Poland said that Russia was expelling four of their diplomats. Among the other countries that had similarly been told to pull their envoys were the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland and Lithuania.
Thirteen Ukrainian diplomats were also ordered to leave.
"This decision by Moscow is not a surprise," said Heiko Maas in a statement while announcing the expulsion of German diplomats from Russia.
"We did not take our decision to sent back Russian diplomats lightly," Maas said, adding that it was "a necessary and appropriate political signal."
Berlin still remains open to dialogue with Russia, the statement added.
During the day, Dutch ambassador Renee Jones-Bos had said that Russia has expelled two diplomats over the spy row.
Russia had announced the expulsion of 60 US diplomats on Thursday and had decided to close the US consulate in Saint Petersburg nearly a week after President Trump ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle.
The Western nations have accused Putin's regime of being involved in the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in a nerve agent attack in the English city of Salisbury on March 4.
Russia has however denied any involvement in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.