Iran Press/ Europe: Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Bulgaria expelled Russian diplomatic workers earlier in March. Russian diplomats at the country's mission to the EU are also being sent home, Vedomosti notes.
The massive purge will impact Russia's relations with the European Union, which have been already suspended in some sense, Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine Fyodor Lukyanov emphasized.
According to him, the agenda of bilateral relations is drying up though some connections, particularly in the energy sector, remain.
Given that the expulsion of diplomats can be carried out promptly, it may be presented as a reaction to the Bucha incident (Ukraine has accused Russian troops of killing civilians in that town, while Russia strongly rejected the accusations).
A delay in Russia's response to the expulsion of diplomats from Germany may mean that Moscow's reaction will go beyond the principle of reciprocity, Researcher at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations Center for European Studies Artem Sokolov noted.
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He does not rule out that German NGOs still active in Russia are also in danger, apart from German diplomatic employees. In particular, the Heinrich Boell Foundation, linked to the German Green Party, was on the verge of being closed a while ago. The organization was then supported by the Greens joining the German government, but now, the same factor may become "a black stain," the expert explained.
Lukyanov also points out that the expulsion of diplomats is not what influences the issuance of visas. However, the EU may be expected to abandon visa cooperation with Russia after a while entirely, he said.
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