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The first EU country to expel the Russian Ambassador

Lithuania is the first European Union (EU) member state to ask the Russian Ambassador to return home.

The first EU country to expel the Russian Ambassador
Lithuanian Foreign Minister. Photo: Ukrinfor

According to RT and Reuters news agencies, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that the country’s top diplomat in Moscow will also be recalled in the next few days. In addition, Lithuania has decided to close the Russian consulate in Klaipeda.

Yesterday (4/4), both Lithuania and Latvia announced plans to downgrade diplomatic relations with Moscow.

Speaking to journalists, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that in light of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, the Lithuanian government has decided to downgrade its status as a diplomatic representative. The Russian ambassador will have to leave Lithuania.

The Baltic state’s top diplomat also said that Lithuania had informed its EU and NATO allies of the decision and urged them to “follow suit”. The Lithuanian ambassador to Ukraine will return to Kiev, after leaving for a while due to the deteriorating security situation around Kiev.

According to the official, Lithuania is also considering closing its borders with Russia and Belarus.

Immediately after Mr. Landsbergis’ announcement, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said that Riga would downgrade diplomatic relations with Moscow. Specific decisions will be announced after completing the procedures. According to the press, that means Latvia will expel the Russian ambassador and recall the country’s ambassador from Moscow.

“Retaliatory measures will not take long,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

After Russia Attacks Ukraine On February 24, Moscow was subjected to several rounds of economic sanctions by the US, Canada, UK, EU, Japan, Australia and a number of other countries. Last week, Lithuania announced it would stop importing gas from Russia from this month. The Lithuanian president wrote on Twitter that his country severed energy ties with Russia.

Hoai Linh

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