Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Russia-West Confrontation Likely To Go Beyond Hysteria over Diplomacy

Russia-West Confrontation Likely To  Go Beyond Hysteria over Diplomacy

MOSCOW - The confrontation between Russia and Western powers appears to be going beyond hysteria over diplomacy, as the two sides fight tit-for-tat by expelling large numbers of diplomats from each other.
A recent collective expulsion of around 150 Russian diplomats from over two dozens of Western countries has finally exhausted Russia’s tolerance. Moscow responded with equivalent measures against diplomatic personnel from those countries, in a relentless counterpunch further escalating the already strained relations between the two sides.
With the inertia of the sanctions spiral going on, Russia and the West are expected to continue the hostility in the diplomatic sphere and even expand it to other areas that are more painful for both sides in the foreseeable future, experts said.
Tensions between Russia and Western countries have exacerbated over the current exchange of diplomatic sanctions.
In mid March, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent. In the wake of London’s move, more than two dozens of countries including the United States decided to expel staff of Russian diplomatic missions. Former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were reportedly exposed to a nerve agent and found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in the British city of Salisbury on March 4.
Britain accused the Kremlin of masterminding the attempted murder of the two Skripals. Russia denied any role in the case.
As the concerted “provocation” by the West raged on, Russia did not wait long to fight back. After announcing the expulsion of diplomatic personnel of Britain and the United States and the closure of the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg, Moscow went on to declare a corresponding number of diplomats as “personae non gratae” from another 23 countries. (Xinhua)