“It is clear that this unfriendly gesture from the Belgian side will not go unanswered.”writes the Russian embassy in Belgium on its website on Wednesday, the day after the decision of the Belgian authorities to proceed with the expulsion of 21 Russian diplomats.
The federal government has decided to expel 21 people accredited as Russian diplomats to the Russian Embassy in Brussels or the Consulate General in Antwerp, for their involvement in espionage and influence operations threatening the country’s security , Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès announced on Tuesday. The people concerned will have to leave the territory within 15 days, specified the head of Belgian diplomacy, during a current affairs debate on Ukraine in the House’s Foreign Relations Committee.
“This gesture will not go unanswered”
This decision was taken in a select ministerial committee (“kern”) and in consultation with the Netherlands, which did the same with 17 people accredited to the Russian Embassy in The Hague. “This decision is not a sanction, it is only related to our national security. Diplomatic channels remain open with Russia, the Russian Embassy can continue to operate and we continue to advocate dialogue“, commented Sophie Wilmès.
The Russian embassy in Brussels does not seem to hear it from that ear. On Tuesday, Ambassador Alexander Tokovinin was received by Theodora Gentzis, Director General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who notified him of the expulsions. “They are accused of activities incompatible with their status. The Ambassador rejected these unfounded accusations, emphasizing that this decision is a blow to Russian-Belgian relations and goes against the traditions of bilateral cooperation. It is clear that this unfriendly gesture from the Belgian side will not go unanswered.”warns the embassy.