MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Russia’s relations with the Netherlands will be profoundly reshaped following the Hague’s decision to reduce Russia’s diplomatic presence in the Netherlands, the Russian foreign ministry said on Monday.
"The Hague should understand that our bilateral ties, which are already aggravated by problems, will be profoundly reshaped. The entire responsibility for the degradation of Russian-Dutch relations rests on the Dutch side," the ministry stressed, adding that response measures will inevitably follow.
According to the ministry, Moscow considers the Hague’s decision to reduce the number of Russian diplomats as an unfriendly step geared to ruin Russian-Dutch relations.
"We consider the Dutch foreign ministry’s decision on a dramatic reduction of the number of Russian embassy employees and the suspension of the activities of Russia’s trade mission in Amsterdam as another unfriendly step aimed at the further destruction of Russian-Dutch relations" and "dismantling the basics of trade and economic cooperation" between the counties, the ministry said.
The ministry recalled that the countries had been conducting difficult consultations for about a year to create conditions for the operation of diplomatic missions after the expulsions of Russian diplomats in March 2022. "However, when the differences were about to be overcome, the Netherlands frustrated the negotiating process obviously being guided by dictation from outside," the ministry stressed.
"The Russian side categorically rejects the Hague’s attempts at justifying its destructive actions by allegations about Russia in the context of the situation in Ukraine, which have no relation to the real state of things. The Netherlands should remember that it is responsible for a number of high-profile crimes committed in the course of NATO’s operations in Iraq and other regions of the world," the ministry added.
The Dutch foreign ministry said on Saturday that it was reducing the number of Russian diplomats in the country. The redundant employees were given two weeks to leave the Netherlands. Under the decision of the Dutch government, the Russian embassy in the Hague may no longer have more diplomats than the Dutch embassy in Moscow. Apart from that, the Dutch authorities ruled to shut down Russia’s trade mission in Amsterdam from Tuesday.