Russian Foreign Ministry Calls on Official Berlin to Halt Actions

The reckless provocative actions of Berlin will not go without a proper response from Moscow, stated the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with Germany’s decision to close four of its consulates in the country.

According to the statement, the requirement from the German Foreign Ministry to close the Russian consulates in Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and Frankfurt by December 31, 2023, is viewed as yet another unfriendly step by Germany against the backdrop of its decision to reduce Russia's consular presence.

The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that it is the German side that initiated the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats under fabricated pretexts, imposed quotas on certain categories of foreign representatives’ staff, and delayed visa issuance, while forgetting about the double asymmetry in terms of the number of foreign mission personnel in its favor. “Our retaliatory actions have been carried out solely based on the principle of reciprocity,” the ministry reminded.

According to the Russian side, Germany must understand that the German side bears full responsibility for the degradation of bilateral relations. The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on the German authorities to cease their actions.

Berlin has notified Moscow about the necessity of closing four out of five Russian consulates in Germany in response to the restrictions placed by Russian authorities on the number of staff at the German embassy and related organizations, said German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christopher Burger in Berlin. According to him, this move will create 'equal staffing and structures' between the two countries.

He noted that the Russian embassy in Berlin will continue its operations. Burger emphasized that Germany would have to close its three consulates in Russia by November of this year.