Russia downgrades diplomatic relations with Estonia, Latvia announces recall of ambassador to Russia
Xinhua News Agency, Moscow, January 23 (Reporter Liu Kai) The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the 23rd, announcing that it would downgrade diplomatic relations with Estonia to the level of charge d’affaires ad interim.
According to a statement published on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Estonian ambassador to Russia on the same day, lodged a solemn protest against the actions of the Estonian side, and asked the Estonian ambassador to leave Russia on February 7.
The Russian side said that the Irish side has taken a new unfriendly move towards Russia, that is, it has significantly reduced the size of the Russian embassy in Ireland, which shows that it insists on taking the line of destroying the relationship between the two countries.
According to the Baltic News Agency, Estonian Foreign Minister Ren Salu said on the 23rd that Estonia has been informed of Russia’s decision to lower the level of diplomatic relations with Estonia. Based on the principle of diplomatic reciprocity, the Russian ambassador to Estonia will also leave Estonia on February 7.
On January 11, the Estonian government decided to halve the staff of the Russian embassy in Estonia before February 1, saying that the move was to ensure that the number of staff in the diplomatic missions of the two countries was equal.
According to Latvia, Latvia’s Foreign Minister Linkeviches said on his social media account on the 23rd that in view of the situation in Ukraine, Latvia will recall its ambassador to Russia on February 24 and lower the level of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Russia to Temporary agency level. (Participating reporters: Li Deping, Guo Qun)