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27 May 2022, 12:37

Latvia vows to cut diplomatic staff in Russia, but won’t recall ambassador

The EU member states need to coordinate their actions in Moscow at the level of EU and NATO ambassadors, Latvia’s foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics underscored

RIGA, May 27. /TASS/. Riga will cut its diplomatic presence in Russia even further, but its ambassador will continue work in Moscow, Edgars Rinkevics, Latvia’s foreign minister, said in a TV interview, as reported by the news portal, BB.lv.

"We won’t do that, just like other European Union member-countries are not doing that for one reason - we still see the need to coordinate our actions in Moscow at the level of EU and NATO ambassadors," Rinkevics said.

Latvia has already closed two consulates in Russia and will shut down the consular service in Russia’s exclave region of Kaliningrad from July 1, he said.

Rinkevics favors more sanctions against Russia and further military assistance to Ukraine, which has its hopes set on joining the EU. A new package of sanctions is absolutely essential though it may lead to a crisis in Hungary. "We understand problems facing this country in the energy sector, but we have proposed sensible options," the foreign minister claimed.

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