AA / Moscow
Russia decided, on Thursday, to expel five Portuguese diplomats from its territory, in response to a similar measure taken by Lisbon against Russian diplomats.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that it had summoned today the Portuguese ambassador to Moscow, Madalena Fischer, in protest against the “provocative decision of the Portuguese authorities” against 10 Russian diplomats in Lisbon, on the “Russia Today” TV channel. mentioned.
“Five Portuguese diplomats in Russia have been declared persona non grata and must leave Russia within the next 14 days,” RT said.
This comes a day after the Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of 85 European diplomats in Moscow.
On Wednesday, Moscow expelled 34 French diplomats, 24 Italians and 27 Spaniards.
European countries have expelled Russian diplomats in protest of Russia’s military operation against Ukraine.
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, which provoked outrage and multiple reactions at the international level, as well as imposing unprecedented and severe financial and economic sanctions on Moscow.
Russia poses as a precondition, to end its operations, Ukraine’s renunciation of its plans to join military entities and alliances, including NATO, and the adoption of a “total neutrality” status, which Kyiv considers “interference in its sovereignty.”
* Translated from Arabic by Hajar Al-Shirni
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