EU foreign policy chief condemns Moscow's expulsion of European diplomats

The European Union's high representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, on Saturday condemned Russia's move to expel European diplomats a day earlier, reported Euronews.

"I strongly reject the decision. I reject the allegations that these diplomats were performing activities incompatible with their role as diplomats," said Borrell.

The EU's top diplomat informed that he learned of the news during his meeting with Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

"During my meeting with Minister Lavrov I got news that three European diplomats were going to be expelled," said Borrell.

On Friday, Russia had expelled three European diplomats from Germany, Poland, and Sweden for participating in "illegal" rallies demanding the release of President Vladimir Putin's biggest critic Alexey Navalny.

According to an official statement, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it had made formal protests to the embassies of Germany, Poland and Sweden.

Tens of thousands of Russians protested last weekend in support of the Kremlin critic who was detained upon returning to Russia from Germany after recovering from being poisoned, reported Euronews.

A Moscow court on Tuesday had sent Navalny to prison for more than two-and-a-half years.

Politicians across the world have condemned the Moscow Court's sentence of Navalny and called for his release.

Meanwhile, Borrell said that EU-Russia relations are at their lowest level, but the bloc is not planning on issuing sanctions.

"For the time being there is no proposal but things can change, let's see next week," said Borrell. "This can be considered; nothing is excluded," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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