Moscow is not in favor of severing diplomatic relations with Poland and the Baltic republics.

This is stated in the answers of the Russian Foreign Ministry to questions received at a press conference following the results of the activities of Russian diplomacy in 2022.

“But we are not in favor of breaking diplomatic relations.

Even in the most difficult situation, it is necessary to maintain channels for dialogue, resolving issues of our fellow citizens and compatriots,” the ministry said.

The department admitted that, "having entered the anti-Russian rage", Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia could go "to a complete break in contacts with us."

In the event of such a scenario, the responsibility for the consequences will fall entirely on the leadership of these countries, the Foreign Ministry stressed.

“We intend to firmly defend our national interests, and opponents must understand that their actions will have long-term consequences,” the ministry said.

As explained in the Russian Foreign Ministry, in Poland and the Baltic states "a frenzied Russophobic campaign has been unfolding for a long time."

These states are trying to play the role of "zakopyorchikov" any anti-Russian undertakings of the West.

“Recently, bilateral relations with these countries have degraded catastrophically, interaction with them in all areas has been frozen and practically reduced to zero,” the ministry said in a statement.

"Total Russophobia"

Earlier, Latvia and Estonia decided to lower the level of diplomatic relations with Moscow.

Recall, on January 11, Tallinn demanded to reduce the staff of Russian diplomats in the republic to eight people.

As the Estonian Foreign Ministry explained, due to the conflict in Ukraine, the Russian embassy "does not promote Estonian-Russian relations."

In this regard, Tallinn sees no need to maintain the current composition of the diplomatic mission.

  • Summoning Estonian Ambassador Margus Laidre to the Russian Foreign Ministry

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Estonia has taken a new unfriendly step, confirming the "line towards the collapse of relations between our countries."

As explained in the department, in recent years, total Russophobia and the cultivation of hostility towards the Russian Federation have been elevated to the rank of the state policy of Tallinn.

“As a response, the Russian side decided to downgrade the diplomatic representative in both countries to charge d’affaires,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

On January 23, Estonian Ambassador Margus Laidre was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

He was given a "strong protest in connection with the actions of the Estonian authorities."

In addition, Laidra was ordered to leave Russia on February 7.

“The entire responsibility for the development of such a situation in relations between Russia and Estonia lies entirely with the Estonian side.

We will continue to respond to the hostile steps of the Estonian leadership,” Moscow stressed.

In response, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that he would urge the EU member states to follow the principle of parity in diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation, according to which the number of diplomats in both states should be the same.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic also said that Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev should leave the country.

Estonia's actions found support in Latvia.

On January 23, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of this republic, Edgar Rinkevich, wrote on his Twitter that from February 24, Riga will lower the level of diplomatic relations with Russia.

True, he did not announce specific measures.

On January 27, Charge d'Affaires of Latvia Dacija Rutka was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

She was told that Moscow would not accept "references to some kind of 'solidarity' with other Baltic countries."

“Solidarity” between them is only in something else - in total Russophobia and the desire to initiate hostile steps against Russia, which is encouraged by the United States and some other countries that are unfriendly to us, ”the Russian Foreign Ministry explained.

  • Demolition of the monument to the soldiers-liberators of Riga

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Ambassador of Latvia Maris Riekstinsh was ordered to leave the Russian Federation within two weeks.

The Russian Foreign Ministry warned Tallinn that a "provocative demarche" to lower the level of diplomatic relations "will have consequences."

In addition, the department reminded about the inadmissibility of vandalism in relation to the memorials of the Red Army.

“It should be understood that our bilateral relations have already been largely destroyed by the destructive line of the ruling elite of Latvia, including the complete cleansing of the Russian-language information space, the elimination of the Soviet memorial and cultural heritage, the criminal prosecution of our compatriots,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

Moscow's relations with another Baltic country, Lithuania, reached an extreme point last spring.

The ambassador of the republic, Eitvydas Bayarunas, was recalled from Moscow on April 4.

On May 23, 2022, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda signed a decree on downgrading the diplomatic mission with the Russian Federation.

Also in the spring, the authorities of the Baltic countries ordered the closure of the Russian consulates general in Klaipeda, Liepaja, Daugavpils, Narva and the office of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Tartu.

Moscow took mirror measures and withdrew consent to the activities of the Latvian consulates of the Baltic countries in St. Petersburg, as well as the representations of Latvia and the office of the Consulate General of Estonia in Pskov.

Russian-Polish relations are also in a deplorable state.

Warsaw has not yet acted with intentions to stop diplomatic ties with the Russian Federation, but is ready to take such a step after the allies.

“At the present stage, Poland is acting on the principle: we are expelling and we will observe what happens.

If we all agree at the European level that this should be done, that all possible contacts with Russian diplomats should be cut off, then Poland will, of course, do so, ”Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz said earlier in an interview with TVN24.

  • Embassy of Poland in Russia

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  • © Vitaly Belousov

Experts interviewed by RT drew attention to the fact that the main factor in the deep degradation of Russian-Polish relations was the frantic Russophobic rhetoric of Warsaw and the military-political support of the Kyiv regime.

In particular, Poland is one of the main donors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a supporter of increasing the supply of Western-made weapons to Kyiv, including tanks and combat manned aircraft.

As the Polish Foreign Ministry reported the other day, there should be no limits and restrictions on the transfer of military products to Ukraine.

"Play their part"

In a RT commentary, RISS expert Oleg Nemensky said that Poland and the Baltic countries are consistently and purposefully aggravating relations with the Russian Federation under the pretext of a special operation.

“The initiative for the catastrophic degradation of relations comes from these countries.

They regularly play their role as an anti-Russian outpost, instigators of confrontational relations with Moscow, without thinking about the consequences of such a course, ”Nemensky said.

At the same time, as the expert emphasized, Moscow has repeatedly made it clear that it seeks to maintain normal relations with Eastern European countries even in the context of a new phase of the Ukrainian crisis.

“However, on the part of Poland and the Baltic states, we see only Russophobia, the unbridled militarization of society and large-scale support for the Kyiv regime.

Such a policy is not their complete initiative.

Much is carried out under the supervision of Washington.

However, this does not negate the fact that the elites of these countries sincerely rejoice at any opportunity to annoy Russia, ”Nemensky noted.

Nevertheless, according to the expert, the break in diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation does not meet the interests of Poland and the Baltic countries due to ongoing trade and economic ties and occasional political contacts.

A similar point of view is shared by Sergey Rekeda, Director General of the Center for the Study of Integration Prospects.

In an interview with RT, he said that breaking diplomatic relations with Moscow is now not beneficial for either Warsaw or the Baltic republics.

At the same time, the expert admits that Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia can go to zero all political contacts with the Russian Federation.

  • Pro-Ukrainian action in Tallinn

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  • © Hendrik Osula/SOPA Images/LightRocket

“For the time being, it is vital for these countries to maintain ties with the Russian Federation, despite virtually frozen, almost zero political relations.

Yes, the scenario of termination of diplomatic relations cannot be ruled out.

The Baltics will suffer the most from this, because in this case Russia will stop trade and economic contacts with it, ”recalls Rekeda.

According to the expert, in the current situation, the fact that the countries of Europe and the United States do not refuse contacts with Russia is much more important.

“The political weight of Poland and the Baltics is minimal.

Even if they go to break diplomatic relations, the leading Western countries will not follow their example.

With all the negativity towards Russia, they understand the need to maintain contacts with Moscow through the diplomatic line, ”summed up Rekeda.