Russia ends NATO mission over expulsion of diplomats

Russia on Monday said it would stop its diplomatic mission to NATO following the alliance’s expulsion of eight Russians accused of being spies earlier this month.

Staff at NATO’s military mission in Moscow will also lose their accreditation as of Nov. 1, and the alliance’s information office in the Russian capital will close, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced, as first reported by Reuters.

“If NATO members have any urgent matters, they can contact our ambassador in Belgium on these questions,” Lavrov said at a news conference.

“NATO is not interested in equitable dialogue and joint work. If that’s the case, then we don’t see the need to keep pretending that changes in the foreseeable future are possible.”

NATO on Oct. 6 expelled eight “undeclared Russian intelligence officers” from the country’s mission to the military alliance.

In addition, NATO halved the size of Moscow’s team allowed to work at its headquarters in Brussels from 20 people to 10.

Russia at the time said it could retaliate with similar measures.

NATO on Monday said it had “taken note of Minister Lavrov’s comments to the media, however we have not received any official communication on the issues he raised,” NATO’s spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a statement to The Hill.

“We regret these steps,” Lungescu added. “NATO’s policy towards Russia remains consistent. We have strengthened our deterrence and defence in response to Russia’s aggressive actions, while at the same time we remain open to dialogue, including through the NATO-Russia Council.”

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, meanwhile, said the move “will seriously damage the relationship” with the alliance, according to Reuters.

NATO-Russia relations have been strained since Moscow annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Russia has since held frequent military drills near its borders with other European countries, engaged in nuclear missile development and sent military flights into NATO airspace and near allied ships.

Moscow, meanwhile, has accused NATO of provocative activity. 

—Updated at 2:21 p.m.