The European Union summoned Russia's permanent representative due to sanctions against European officials

Secretary General of the European Commission Ilse Johansson and Secretary General of the EU Foreign Service Stefano Sannino summoned Russia's Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov to protest against Russia's ban on the entry of European officials.

“Ambassador Chizhov was informed of the strong rejection and condemnation by the EU countries and institutions of the decision to impose sanctions,” reads a statement published on the website of the European Commission.

EU representatives also expressed concern about the expulsion of Czech diplomats by Russia and the introduction of a ban on embassies of "unfriendly countries" to hire people located on Russian territory.

In turn, the Russian mission to the EU said that Chizhov gave explanations for Russian sanctions against European officials.

“During the conversation, the current state of relations between Russia and the European Union was discussed. The parties expressed their regret in connection with the recently intensified trend towards their deterioration,” the permanent mission said in a statement.

• On April 30, Russia banned eight representatives of the official structures of the European Union and individual European countries from entering the country, including the President of the European Parliament and the PACE Special Rapporteur on the Navalny poisoning case.
• Russia said the sanctions were in response to the European Union, which in March imposed restrictions on a number of Russian officials because of the poisoning of Navalny and because of the persecution of members of the LGBT community in Chechnya .