The Russian Foreign Ministry stated today, Thursday, that Moscow will respond in kind to any new sanctions that may be imposed by the European Union over the Alexei Navalny case.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said during a press briefing that calls for tightening European sanctions against Moscow in recent days are "not surprising," noting that this has become a usual practice for the European bloc since 2014. Zakharova added that officials in Brussels "resort to sanctions whenever they face Russia and other sovereign countries’ firm commitment to protect their legitimate interests and to prevent blatant interference in their affairs and not to yield to the architects of the Western global order."
She went on to say, "We would like to warn our partners in the European Union against taking any other reckless steps, as they will certainly provoke an appropriate response from us."
In this context, Zakharova emphasized that "it is absolutely unacceptable to exploit human rights and democratic principles and make them a geopolitical tool." She stated that the diplomats expelled by Moscow were aware of their violation of Russian laws because the activities they participated in were not authorized.
She pointed out that the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations stipulates that "all those enjoying privileges and immunities are obliged to respect the laws and regulations of the host country." Zakharova confirmed that "the foreign diplomats were aware of this matter, and therefore the participation of consular staff from Sweden, Poland, and Germany in activities on January 23 and 31 not only constituted interference in Russian affairs but also represented a deliberate violation of the laws of the host country."
