In the midst of Russian attack on Ukraine, Belgium has dealt a big blow to Moscow. Belgium has decided to expel 21 Russian diplomats for espionage or illegal activities. Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes made the announcement on Twitter on Tuesday. The Belgian said he was expelling 21 Russian diplomats on suspicion of spying. At the same time, the Netherlands government has also spoken of expelling 17 Russian intelligence officers.
Ireland also asked four Russian diplomats to leave the country. The Czech Republic has expelled a member of the diplomatic staff at the Russian embassy in Prague. The decision comes after several other Western countries have also expelled Russian diplomats, including the United States.
On February 28, the Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City announced the expulsion of a Russian national of 12 staff members and seven working at the UN Secretariat. Belgium’s Foreign Minister Wilmes said his country was evacuating 21 diplomats from the Russian embassy in Brussels and the consulate in Antwerp. They have been given two weeks to leave.
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Keveney said four senior officials of the Russian embassy in Dublin, who did not meet the international standard of diplomat, were ordered to leave the country. At the same time, the Foreign Ministry of the Czech Republic has said that along with our allies, we are also reducing the presence of Russian intelligence officers in the European Union.