After Moscow expels EU diplomats, EU, UK and US to convene forum on Alexei Navalny

The European Union on February 8 said that it will hold talks with the allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, which will be presided by envoys from the US, UK Canada, and Ukraine. This comes after Russia expelled EU diplomats, last week, which was condemned by EU Vice-President Josep Borrell, who rejected Kremlin’s allegations that EU diplomats conducted ''activities incompatible with their status as foreign diplomats.” EU foreign policy chief, in an online post, said that he learned about envoys’ dismissal via social media, after he concluded meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. 

Furthermore, mentioning his  controversial trip to Moscow, which he described, was aimed at principled diplomacy between Moscow and the EU, Borrell said, “The reaction I received points visibly in a different direction.” He then stated that the EU and the international community will have to “reflect on the broader implications and chart a way forward,” as he announced that the EU will hold a video chat with Navalny’s ally. As EU-Russia relations fraught over recent developments linked to the poisoning, arrest, and sentencing of Alexei Navalny, EU, US, UK, envoys will convene a meeting at 1200 GMT for a joint response on diplomats expulsion, and detention of Navalny. "The Russian authorities did not want to seize this opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU. This is regrettable and we will have to draw the consequences,” Borrell said, adding that the EU was set to convene forthcoming European Council discussions on EU-Russia relations.

Read: 'Unjustified': Merkel Condemns Russia For Expelling EU Envoys Seeking Navalny's Release

Read: Moscow's Jails Overwhelmed With Detained Navalny Protesters

"Russia is progressively disconnecting itself from Europe and looking at democratic values as an existential threat," wrote Borrell, in an online statement. "It will be for member states to decide the next steps, and yes, these could include sanctions,” he added.

3 Russian diplomats expelled

EU foreign policy chief’s remarks come amid a stringent push from Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, and the Czech Republic to impose fresh sanctions on Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, justifying the EU diplomats’ expulsion, said in state-run press that the European diplomats had participated in Moscow’s protests against the jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and were declared "persona non grata”, that stripped them off the diplomatic immunity. In retaliation to this, Germany, Poland, and Sweden expelled at least three Russian diplomats, with Germany’s Foreign Office condemning Moscow’s actions against a German diplomat who, it said, was only reporting on developments on the spot in a “legal fashion”. Poland, meanwhile, dismissed Russian envoy from Russia’s consulate in the city of Poznan, citing its action "in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.” Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, similarly, told local press that the country ejected a diplomat in return for Moscow’s ‘unacceptable’ behaviour. 

"At times the discussion with my Russian counterpart reached high levels of tension, as I called for Mr. Navalny’s immediate and unconditional release, as well as for a full and impartial investigation into his assassination attempt," Borrell said in a statement.

Read: Kremlin On 'aggressive' US Request To Free Navalny

Read: EU Diplomat: Navalny Case A 'low Point' In Ties With Russia

(Image Credit: AP)