MOSCOW, February 7. /TASS/. On Tuesday, Estonia’s President Alar Karis recalled the ambassador to Russia, Margus Laidre, the portal of the Estonian state radio and television ERR said. On January 23, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced a decision to downgrade diplomatic relations between Russia and Estonia to the level of charge d’affaires.
TASS FACTBOX editors have inventoried the current state of Russia’s diplomatic relations with other countries.
Countries of the world
Currently, 193 states are members of the United Nations. Two more states — the Vatican and Palestine — have the status of permanent observers in the UN.
Russia recognizes 197 countries: 195 UN members and permanent observers, as well as two partially recognized states — Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Countries who have diplomatic relations with Russia
Now Russia has diplomatic relations with 191 states: 187 are UN member states, two are permanent observers in the UN (the Vatican and Palestine), and two are partially recognized states (Abkhazia, South Ossetia).
Russia does not have diplomatic relations with five UN member countries. Diplomatic relations have not been established with Bhutan and the Solomon Islands (negotiations are underway with the latter). Diplomatic ties with three states were terminated at their initiative: Georgia (in 2008), Ukraine (in 2022), and Micronesia (in 2022).
Severing of diplomatic relations
In Russia’s recent history, there have been three cases of the termination of diplomatic relations, all at the initiative of the opposite side.
In September 2008, diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia were interrupted at the initiative of the authorities in Tbilisi. The reason was Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence after the armed conflict with Georgia from August 8-12, 2008. At present, the two countries’ interests are represented by sections at the Swiss embassies in Moscow and Tbilisi, which are mainly engaged in consular work, including the issuance of visas. Also, Switzerland acts as an intermediary in organizing contacts and meetings between officials.
In February 2022, Ukraine announced the termination of diplomatic relations with Russia after Moscow recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (currently — Russia’s federal subjects) and launched a special military operation in Ukraine. Switzerland offered its mediation in representing the two parties’ interests. However, Moscow refused to consider Switzerland as an intermediary due to its decision to join anti-Russian sanctions.
In February 2022, Micronesia severed diplomatic relations with Russia in support of the Ukrainian authorities, who had called on their partners to abandon diplomatic ties with Russia.
Russia’s diplomatic missions
In most countries, Russia is represented by ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary. In Palestine, there is a representative office (mission) of the Russian Federation at the Palestinian National Authority, led by its chief.
Russia’s ambassadors in 30 countries (Australia, Angola, Benin, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Ghana, Guinea, Djibouti, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Spain, Italy, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Senegal, Uganda, the Philippines, France, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Jamaica) simultaneously represent the interests of Russia and other states.
Charges d’affaires, downgrading of diplomatic ties
Currently, in two countries — Yemen and Lithuania — Russia is represented by charges d’affaires.
The Russian embassy in Yemen was evacuated in December 2017 due to hostilities in that country and moved to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Russia’s interests in Yemen are represented by its charge d’affaires.
In April 2022, Lithuania expelled the Russian ambassador from Vilnius and recalled its ambassador from Moscow. On May 23, 2022, Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda signed a decree to downgrade diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Russia.
In January 2023, a decision was made to relegate diplomatic relations between Russia, Estonia and Latvia to charge d’affaires. On January 23, the Russian Foreign Ministry downgraded diplomatic ties with Estonia as a response to an unfriendly decision by the Estonian side to radically reduce the number of personnel at the Russian embassy in Tallinn, and also because of the destruction of the entire system of relations with Moscow. The ambassadors of both countries were ordered to leave the diplomatic missions on February 7. On January 23, Latvia, in a gesture of solidarity with Estonia, announced it would downgrade diplomatic relations with Russia as of February 24, 2023. In a retaliatory move, on January 27 the Russian Foreign Ministry ordered Latvia’s ambassador to leave Russia within two weeks.