Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
News

EU's Baltic states shows solidarity with the Czech Republic in diplomatic dispute with Russia

25 April 2021

The Baltic EU Member States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia expelled four Russian diplomats this week as a sign of solidarity with fellow EU Member State, the Czech Republic.

Initially, it was only the Czech Republic and Russia that had a diplomatic conflict. This week, several EU Member States became involved in the diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Also, Neighbouring Slovakia responded by expelling three Russian diplomats on Thursday (22 April). 

The diplomatic dispute is related to an explosion a Czech munitions depot in Vrbetice in 2014. The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babiš announced last week that eighteen Russian diplomats must return to Russia because the government has evidence that Russian intelligence officers were involved in the 2014 explosion in Vrbětice, which killed two people. The eighteen diplomats are believed to be members of the Military Intelligence Service, GRU, and the Russian Foreign Intelligence and Security Service. Moscow reacted immediately to the Czech Republic's action on Friday (23 April), imposing a limit on the number of employees of the Czech Embassy in Moscow, forcing dozens of people to leave the country. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the Czech Republic's steps "irresponsible and provocative". Furthermore, the Russian Embassy in Estonia lashed out at the government's decision in that country, describing it as "unfriendly and unfounded".

This week, the Czech Republic asked the other EU Member States to join it in expelling Russian diplomats. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis announced the reaction of the three Baltic states on Friday. He spoke of an "unprecedented and dangerous incident”. Lithuania is expelling two Russians and the other two Baltic countries, one diplomat each. Neighbouring Slovakia was among the first to respond, expelling three Russian diplomats on Thursday (22 April).

In addition to concrete reactions from Eastern EU Member States, German Chancellor Angela Merkel also declared solidarity with Prague in a telephone conversation with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš on Thursday but announced no measures towards Russia. The EU and NATO have also expressed solidarity.

 

Source: commonspace.eu with agencies

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged
Trending

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

9 June 2021
Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean
Trending

A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean

14 May 2024
A ground breaking meeting between the President of Turkiye, Recip Tayip Erdogan, and Greek Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Monday (13 May) is being hailed as the dawn of a new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean. Mitsotakis was in Ankara as the guest of the Turkish leader. There are no unsolvable problems between Athens and Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, as he and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised the state of relations between the two neighbors while pledging to further enhance bilateral ties. "We had a constructive and positive meeting and discussed problems in Türkiye-Greece relations; We will solve problems through dialogue," Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with Mitsotakis. Erdoğan said that Ankara and Athens are committed to resolving issues via "cordial dialogue, good neighborly ties, and international law" as outlined in last year's Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness. Improvement of bilateral relations with Türkiye is yielding concrete and positive results, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said "I can only begin by thanking you for the warm hospitality today in Ankara, it was a fourth meeting in the last 10 months, which I believe proves that the two neighbors can now establish this approach of mutual understanding, no longer as some exception, but as a productive normality that is not negated by the known differences in our positions," Mitsotakis said. He said bilateral relations have been progressing, as agreed by the parties, on three levels: political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence-building measures. "I believe that it is a positive development in a difficult time for international peace, but also for the broader stability in our region," the Greek leader said.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean
Trending

A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean

14 May 2024
A ground breaking meeting between the President of Turkiye, Recip Tayip Erdogan, and Greek Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Monday (13 May) is being hailed as the dawn of a new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean. Mitsotakis was in Ankara as the guest of the Turkish leader. There are no unsolvable problems between Athens and Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, as he and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised the state of relations between the two neighbors while pledging to further enhance bilateral ties. "We had a constructive and positive meeting and discussed problems in Türkiye-Greece relations; We will solve problems through dialogue," Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with Mitsotakis. Erdoğan said that Ankara and Athens are committed to resolving issues via "cordial dialogue, good neighborly ties, and international law" as outlined in last year's Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness. Improvement of bilateral relations with Türkiye is yielding concrete and positive results, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said "I can only begin by thanking you for the warm hospitality today in Ankara, it was a fourth meeting in the last 10 months, which I believe proves that the two neighbors can now establish this approach of mutual understanding, no longer as some exception, but as a productive normality that is not negated by the known differences in our positions," Mitsotakis said. He said bilateral relations have been progressing, as agreed by the parties, on three levels: political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence-building measures. "I believe that it is a positive development in a difficult time for international peace, but also for the broader stability in our region," the Greek leader said.