Reducing course

Baltic countries and Russia send each other's ambassadors

Russia and the Baltic countries have reached the "decrease in diplomatic relations." At first, the Russian Foreign Ministry demanded that the Estonian ambassador leave the territory of the Russian Federation. Estonia answered in the same way: until February 7, the Russian ambassador to Tallinn should leave the country. Latvia, as a sign of solidarity with Estonia, also sends the Russian ambassador. We figure out what it means.

On January 11, Estonia told the RF Listen that Russia should reduce the number of employees of the embassy by February 1. Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu explained this by the fact that "the personnel of the Russian Embassy is not engaged in the development of Estonian-Russian relations in the context of an aggressive war."

In response, Maria Zakharova stated that any hostile actions of Estonia, where “Russophobia” was built to the rank of state doctrine, will not remain unanswered.

On January 18, the Russian Embassy reported that the acceptance of applications for withdrawal from citizenship of the Russian Federation was terminated. It is worth clarifying that the exit from the citizenship of the Russian Federation is a mandatory procedure for obtaining citizenship of any of the Baltic countries. In the conditions of war, more and more people began to abandon the Russian passport in favor of a passport of one of the Baltic republics. According to statistics, after the start of the war, the number of citizens of the Russian Federation who want to receive Estonian citizenship has grown by about 2 times. For example, in August 2021, about 200 such applications were submitted , while in 2022 - 400. The decision of the Russian embassy slows down the entire process, and does not, for example, do not even live at Estonian universities to those people who live in the country most of their lives.

On January 19, the situation with the citizenship of the Russian Federation was commented by the Prime Minister of Estonia Kai Kallas: she stated that these measures were most likely a response to the expulsion of diplomats and remind of an attempt to "mock people." And also noted that she is pleased with the desire of people to receive Estonian citizenship in return for the Russian.

The Russian Foreign Ministry replied that many Russian citizens took Estonian citizenship under pressure, and the suspension of citizenship issues "was determined by the hostile steps of the Estonian side."

On January 23, Estonia Ambassador to the Russian Federation Margus Lidre was called to the Russian Foreign Ministry and demanded to leave the country's territory until February 7. In a message, the Foreign Ministry shifted the blame on Estonia and called his actions a “response step”.

Estonia answered mirror: the Russian ambassador Vladimir Lipaev is obliged to leave the territory of Estonia at the same time. “Estonia proceeds in relations with Russia from the principle of parity, from which we will not retreat. This means that the Russian ambassador in Tallinn will leave simultaneously with the Ambassador of Estonia on February 7, ”said the Foreign Minister of Estonia Urmas Rayinsalu.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Edgar Rinkevich wrote on Twitter that Latvia was joining the decision of Estonia, and said that the Latvian ambassador would leave Moscow on February 24, on the anniversary of the war. He also stated that this decision was dictated by the ongoing cruel Russian aggression in Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that these arguments were “invented” and “insolvent”.

The decision to send ambassadors is quite symbolic. Since the beginning of the war, the Baltic countries have been conducting a fairly stringent policy against Russia: for example, they almost the first in Europe suspended the issuance of visas to the Russians.

At the same time, talking about a complete breakdown of relations would be an exaggeration.

The heads of embassies are subject to expulsion, and their functions will be performed by temporary attorneys. Lithuania, for example, announced a “decrease in diplomatic relations” with Russia on April 4, when the world saw shots from Buchi.

The Consulate of Russia in Klaipeda was closed, the Lithuanian diplomat left Moscow, and the head of the Russian embassy from Lithuania.

A decrease in diplomatic relations is not a new practice. So, in 2019, India and Pakistan exchanged the expulsion of diplomats from New Delhi and Islamabad. In 2021, due to the military coup in Myanmar, many countries, for example, the USA and Great Britain, in the support of the people of the country announced a decrease in the level of diplomatic relations with military power. In the same 2021, China announced a decrease in diplomatic relations with Lithuania because of the country's position in Taiwan.