display
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has sharply criticized the expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Sweden and Poland from Russia.
Moscow's move is “unjustified” and “another facet” of what “is to be observed quite far from the rule of law in Russia,” said Merkel on Friday at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin.
Macron stressed that he was in solidarity with the three countries whose diplomats had been expelled.
"I strongly condemn what happened from start to finish," said the French President.
He will continue to send a clear message to Russia on this matter.
At the same time, he stressed that it was important to keep talking to Russia.
The Russian ambassador was summoned to the Federal Foreign Office for an "urgent discussion" on Friday.
State Secretary Miguel Berger had "made the German position very clear" to Ambassador Sergei Netschajew, the Foreign Office said.
The "Bild" newspaper reported on it first.
display
The EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell also "sharply" condemned the deportations.
As a spokesman for Borrell said on Friday, he called on the Russian government to "reconsider" the decision.
He therefore also rejected Moscow's accusation that those affected had acted in a way "which is incompatible with their status as foreign diplomats".
After the protests against the imprisonment of the Kremlin opponent Alexej Navalny and against President Vladimir Putin, Russia expelled three diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden.
The three representatives had been declared "undesirable persons".
The ambassadors of the three EU countries were called in for this purpose.
Russia handed over protest notes.
Moscow had repeatedly accused the EU of interfering in its internal affairs.
display
It was found that the diplomats from the Swedish and Polish consulates in St. Petersburg and an employee of the German embassy in Moscow had participated in the unauthorized protests on January 23, it said.
Such actions are incompatible with diplomatic status.
Thousands of people were arrested at the time.
According to the guidelines of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961, they must leave the country as soon as possible.
At the same time, the ministry called on the governments of the states concerned to comply with international law.
"Now every occasion is right to hit the other with a pinprick"
After protests against Nawalny's imprisonment, Russia expelled three diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden.
They had been declared "undesirable people".
Christoph Wanner reports from Moscow.
Source: WELT / Christoph Wanner