France will expel 35 Russian diplomats “whose activities are contrary to (its) interests”.
France will expel 35 Russian diplomats “whose activities are contrary to (its) interests”, AFP learned on Monday from a source close to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This action is part of a European approach”, explains a press release from the ministry. “Our first responsibility is always to ensure the safety of the French and Europeans”, specifies this text.
A few minutes earlier, Germany had announced that it was expelling “a high number” of Russian diplomats stationed in Berlin, in connection with the war in Ukraine, according to its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock. According to information from AFP, their number is 40. These employees of the Russian embassy constituted “a threat to those who seek protection with us”, justified the head of diplomacy. Germany is hosting more than 300,000 Ukrainian refugees who have fled the fighting in their country since February 24.
Similar measures in several countries
Several European countries had previously taken similar measures. On March 29, Belgium announced the expulsion within 15 days of 21 people working for the Russian embassy and consulate, suspected of involvement “in operations of espionage and influence threatening national security”.
That same day, the Netherlands said it was expelling 17 people “accredited as diplomats to Russian representations in the Netherlands” but “secretly active as intelligence officers”.
Poland announced on March 23 to expel 45 “Russian spies posing as diplomats”, according to its Interior Minister, Mariusz Kaminski. “In a totally consistent and determined way, we are dismantling the network of Russian special services in our country,” he said on Twitter.
Ireland has also indicated that it will expel four Russian diplomats, Bulgaria eleven, the Czech Republic one and the three Baltic countries ten.
Lithuania also said on Monday that it was expelling the Russian ambassador to Vilnius “in response to Russia’s military aggression against sovereign Ukraine and the atrocities committed by Russian armed forces in various occupied Ukrainian cities, including the horrible massacre of Boutcha”.