Diplomatic storm between Germany and Russia: cross expulsions of diplomats

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on December 15, 2021 in Berlin.

AP - Hannibal Hanschke

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

On Wednesday December 15, the Berlin court sentenced a Russian with a fuzzy identity to life imprisonment for the assassination of a former Chechen separatist fighter, a national of Georgia, in a park in the capital, on August 23, 2019. German justice accused the Russian authorities of having ordered the murder.

Berlin expelled two Russian diplomats.

In response, this Monday, December 20, Moscow expelled two German diplomats. 

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With our correspondent in Moscow,

Exchanges of expulsions of diplomats and indignant communiques between Germany and Russia.

The tension rises further between the two nations, this Monday, December 20.

" 

 " said the country's foreign ministry.

Response of German diplomacy: the Russian response is " 

 " and will " 

 bilateral

".

Among these relations,

appears at the forefront: this controversial gas pipeline starts from Russia and goes as far as Germany, avoiding Ukraine.

"Nord Stream 2 attacked again"

Olaf Scholz is more measured but environmentalists are giving voice.

Whether it is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, or the Minister of the Economy, Robert Habeck, each of their statements on the gas pipeline is taken up and scrutinized in the Russian press.

" 

 ", even recently headlined a pro-government daily.

“ 

 ” wrote another.

Whatever the medium, each time in Russia, we are reminded in abundance that these remarks by German environmentalists would make the price of gas jump on the markets.

And we underline the constantly broken records in Europe.

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