The governments of the EU countries agreed to limit the movement of diplomats of the Russian Federation
The governments of the European Union have agreed to introduce restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats within the bloc. This is reported by Financial Times.
According to intelligence services, undercover diplomats may be involved in arson, cyberattacks and sabotage against the infrastructure of NATO member states. The new rules will oblige Russian diplomats working in EU capitals to notify other governments of their travel intentions before crossing the host country’s border.
This initiative, supported by the Czech Republic, was included in the next package of EU sanctions against Russia. Adoption requires unanimity, and Hungary has also expressed its support for the decision.
“Finally. This is one of the proposals that I put forward at my first meeting of EU foreign ministers in April 2024, fully supporting the Czech point of view”, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Baiba Braze.
At the same time, legal approval may be delayed due to Austria’s demand to loosen sanctions on the assets of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. His assets are planned to compensate Raiffeisen Bank for the losses it was obliged to pay in Russia.
EU intelligence agencies note that Russian spies masquerading as diplomats often manage assets or operations outside host countries to avoid counterintelligence surveillance. Some EU countries have already declared that they will not support the sanctions package in its current version. The next stage of negotiations regarding it is scheduled for October 8.
