Russia expels Moldovan, Estonian diplomats in retaliatory moves
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 31 May 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia expels Moldovan, Estonian diplomats in retaliatory moves, 31 May 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59818db6c.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 31, 2017 15:47 GMT
By RFE/RL
Moldovan President Igor Dodon condemned the expulsions and said he would discuss them during a visit to St. Petersburg this week.
Moscow has ordered five Moldovan and two Estonian diplomats to leave Russia following the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the two countries.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on May 31 that five Moldovan diplomats in Moscow were declared "personae non grata" and ordered to leave Russia within three days.
"The Russian side has expressed hope that Chisinau recognizes that its unfriendly actions are counterproductive," a statement said.
The Moldovan Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of five Russian diplomats on May 30, without disclosing a reason, amid tensions between the former Soviet republic's pro-Russian President Igor Dodon and its Western-leaning government.
Dodon condemned the expulsions and said he would discuss them during a visit to St. Petersburg this week.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also announced on May 31 that it ordered two diplomats at the Estonian Consulate-General in St. Petersburg to leave the country within five days, after Estonia's government said on May 26 it was expelling two Russian diplomats, without elaborating.
Relations between Russia and Estonia, a member of both the European Union and NATO, have been tense for years.
With reporting by dpa and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
