Four countries, including Belgium, have been hit hard by Russia, with more than 40 diplomats ordered to leave the country.
Ireland has also asked four Russian diplomats to leave the country. The Czech Republic has expelled a member of the diplomatic staff of the Russian embassy in Prague. The decision comes after other Western nations, including the United States, expelled Russian diplomats.
On February 28, the Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City announced the expulsion of 12 staff members and seven Russian nationals working at the UN Secretariat. Belgian Foreign Minister Williams says his country is removing 21 diplomats from the Russian embassy in Brussels and its consulate in Antwerp. They have been given two weeks leave.
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Irish Foreign Minister Simon Cavani has said that four senior officials at the Russian embassy in Dublin have been ordered to leave the country if they do not meet international standards for diplomacy. At the same time, the Foreign Ministry of the Czech Republic has stated that in addition to our allies, we are also reducing the presence of Russian intelligence officials in the European Union.