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Russia has expelled diplomats from the Netherlands and Belgium, the Russian foreign ministry announced Tuesday.
The envoys were summoned to the ministry and told they must leave Russia within two weeks. Fifteen Dutch diplomats have been declared persona non grata and have to leave Russian territory, while the exact number of expelled Belgian diplomats was not revealed.
The ambassador of Luxembourg to Russia was also summoned to the foreign ministry following the expulsion of a Russian diplomat by the Grand Duchy a couple of weeks ago. One Luxembourgish diplomatic employee was declared persona non grata but has not yet been expelled.
Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra said in a press release that The Hague “regretted” the Russian step, while adding that he was expecting such a move.
Earlier this month, Moscow also expelled diplomats from the EU mission to Russia.
The moves from Moscow are a retaliation following a coordinated expulsion of Russian officials by EU countries at the end of March.
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