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During a visit to Moscow by EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, in a rare visit, Russia declared three diplomats from Poland, Germany and Sweden undesirable for participating in “illegal protests” on 23 January in solidarity with Navaln .
Western countries have strongly condemned Navaln’s arrest in mid-January and the crackdown on mass demonstrations by supporters, as well as the decision by a Moscow court on Tuesday that a 44-year-old anti-corruption activist will have to spend two years and eight. months in a correctional colony.
Moscow announced the expulsion of diplomats a few hours after Borrell’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss relations.
Photo by Scanpix / Meeting of Sergei Lavrov and Joseph Borrell in Moscow
The Foreign Ministry did not explain how the expelled diplomats were involved in the protests, but only emphasized that Russia expects foreign diplomatic personnel to “strictly abide by the norms of international law.”
Russia resented Western support for Navaln, President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent opponent, and accused Europe and the United States of interfering in its internal affairs.
“Our relationship has really reached a difficult time,” Borrell told Lavrov during the talks, adding that the relationship was under great pressure and that the Navaln case had taken them to new “lows.”
Both chiefs of diplomacy have expressed hope that the EU and Russia can continue cooperation in some areas, including fighting the coronavirus pandemic, but news of the expulsions of diplomats is unlikely to ease tensions.
In a statement issued Friday, Borrell said he learned of the decision to send three European diplomats during a meeting with Lavrov.
Borrell “strongly condemned the decision and rejected accusations that they were involved in activities incompatible with the status of foreign diplomats,” said his spokesman Peter Stano.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Russia’s decision was “unfounded”; he was also condemned by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry said the decision was “completely unjustified” and cautioned that it reserved the right to “respond appropriately.” Poland said the expulsion of diplomats could lead to “a further deepening of the bilateral crisis.”
Borrell became the first EU diplomat to visit Russia since 2017. Relations between the Community and Moscow have been seriously eroded in the past as a result of Russia’s annexation of Crimea to Ukraine in 2014.
A. Navalnas – in court again
Relations have deteriorated further in recent months, when three European laboratories discovered that Navaln had been poisoned in November by the nerve paralyzing substance Novičiok, developed in the Soviet Union.
The opposition blames Russia’s special services and Putin for his poisoning, although the Kremlin categorically rejects such accusations.
Navaln was flown to Germany for treatment. On January 17, he was detained at a Moscow airport as soon as he returned to his country.
A critic of the Kremlin was accused of violating the terms of a probation sentence imposed on him in 2014 in a fraud case. On Tuesday, the court ruled that parole should be commuted to actual imprisonment and sent Navalna to the colony for two years and eight months.
He was brought back to court Friday on charges of allegedly defaming a World War II veteran by an opposition figure. You can be sentenced to two more years in prison for this.
News – Putin, Navaln
The court adjourned the case until February 12.
Navaln, who has a law degree, has been accused of appearing in a video of Kremlin supporters, including the 95-year-old war veteran, who described the country as “disgraceful” and “traitors” in a June Twitter message. .
In court, Navalnas and his lawyers said the case was politically motivated and a way to silence him.
“The truth is on my side”
“It is clear to everyone that the truth is on my side,” Navaln said as he stood in a glass cage in a Moscow court.
Borrell’s visit has been criticized in some European capitals, concerned that Moscow will present the stay as proof of Brussels’ desire to normalize relations. Some EU members have called for new sanctions against Russia.
The Kremlin also condemned America’s “aggressive and unconstructive rhetoric” on Friday.
“We have already said that we will not accept such statements of patronage,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
US President Joe Biden said Thursday that “Washington’s concessions to Russia’s aggressive actions, interference in our elections, cyberattacks and poisoning of its citizens have ended” and that US officials will take action against Moscow for Navaln and other “malicious” behavior.
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