The Czech authorities, by their actions in the situation with the expulsion of Russian diplomats, demonstrated the absence of an independent line in international affairs. This was announced on April 18 by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova on the air of the TV channel “Russia 1”.
In her opinion, the actions of Prague are caricatured. The Czech authorities cannot independently build bilateral relations with Russia, she stressed.
Earlier that day, the Russian Foreign Ministry promised to take retaliatory measures in order to make the authors of the provocation realize the full responsibility for the decision to expel diplomats.
Vladislav Belov, deputy director of the RAS Institute of Europe, noted earlier on Sunday that the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the Czech Republic is a demonstration of Prague’s support for US sanctions against Moscow. He drew attention to the fact that on the eve of the persona non-grant of Russian diplomats, Poland had declared for the same reasons.
Earlier on Saturday, it became known that the Czech Republic was expelling 18 Russian diplomats. According to the first vice-premier, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the interim head of the Czech Foreign Ministry Jan Hamacek, the diplomats were “identified” by the special services as officers of the GRU and SVR. He specified that Russian diplomats must leave the country within 48 hours.
In turn, the first deputy head of the international committee of the Federation Council, Vladimir Dzhabarov, said that the Russian response to the expulsion of 18 diplomats from the Czech Republic should be proportional.