The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania submitted to the Seimas a draft decree on the recall of the ambassador from Russia and the liquidation of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg.
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From June 7, the consulate general of the republic in St. Petersburg is expected to be closed.
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In early April, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis announced the downgrading of diplomatic relations with Russia, as well as the return of his ambassador from Moscow. The diplomatic department also announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Klaipeda and asked the Russian ambassador to leave the country.
The day before, the Lithuanian parliament adopted a resolution according to which Russia, in connection with the conduct of a special operation in Ukraine, is recognized as a “state supporting and carrying out terrorism.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the decision “provocative and extremist,” adding that “it has nothing to do with any desire to resolve the extremely difficult situation in Ukraine.”
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In total, since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, foreign countries have expelled more than 400 Russian diplomats. Moscow responds to every such decision.
