The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania called on EU countries to expel Russian ambassadors

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielus Landsbergis believes that the members of the European Union do not need to have Russian ambassadors in their countries.

He said this at a press conference in Riga, writes Delfi.

"In most cases, it is no longer diplomatic, but a propaganda institution that hides war crimes and generally promotes genocide," Landsbergis noted. He added that recently Lithuania was the only country that did not have a Russian ambassador, but now his state is in the Baltic group.

• As a result of Russiaʼs war against Ukraine, Lithuania already in April 2002 expelled the Russian Ambassador to Vilnius Oleksiy Isakov and four employees of the embassy, as well as employees of the Consulate General in Klaipeda. The Russian diplomatic mission was closed in this city.
• In response, Moscow expelled Lithuanian diplomats and closed the consulate in St. Petersburg.
• On October 3, 2022, Lithuania announced that it was expelling Russian Chargé dʼAffaires Serhiy Ryabokon from the country and declaring him persona non grata because of his statements.
• On October 5, Russia declared Lithuaniaʼs chargé dʼaffaires Virginia Umbrasene persona non grata and expelled her from the country.
• On January 23, 2023, Russia summoned the Estonian ambassador Margus Laidre and ordered him to leave the Russian Federation by February 7. The level of diplomatic relations between Estonia and Russia was lowered to the level of chargé dʼaffaires.
• Subsequently, Latvia decided that, in solidarity with Estonia, it would also reduce the level of diplomatic representation with Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia ordered the Ambassador of Latvia in Moscow Maris Riekstinsha to leave the Russian Federation within two weeks.