Russia and the West staged a fierce ＂expulsion war＂! Many countries in the United States and Europe have acted together, and Russia’ s revenge is not soft

　　[Global Times reporter Zhang Guangzheng Aoki Liu Yupeng Chen Kang] A fierce and dazzling "diplomatic expulsion war" is being staged between Russia, the United States and its allies. Last weekend, the Czech Republic became the latest to join the war group, and it announced the expulsion of 18 Russian embassy staff. The Russian side immediately issued a warning: the Czech Republic knows what consequences this move will bring.

　　On the 17th, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of five Polish diplomats in retaliation for Poland’s expulsion of three Russian diplomats. On the same day, Russia and Ukraine also expelled a diplomat from each other. The day before, in retaliation for the new round of sanctions against the United States, Russia announced the expulsion of 10 American diplomats and put eight former and current senior American officials on the "blacklist". Originally, Russia and NATO have recently launched a tense game around the situation in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, and the situation is tense. This series of sudden and rare "diplomatic expulsion wars" not only stunned public opinion, but also added more hostility and uncertainty to the already tense confrontation between Russia and the West.

　　The United States and Britain support Czech action against Russia

　　"Prague knows the consequences of expelling Russian diplomats in the Czech Republic." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Zacharova issued a stern warning to the Czech Republic last weekend, stressing that Moscow would not turn a blind eye to this "trick" of the Czech Republic. Agence France-Presse reported that Russia said on the 18th that it would respond to this "unprecedented" decision of the Czech Republic. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "We will take retaliatory measures to force provocative planners to understand their full responsibility for destroying the foundation of normal relations between the two countries". The statement believes that the Czech hostile action of expelling Russian diplomats is a continuation of its anti-Russian actions in recent years, from which we can see the figure of the United States. The statement accused the Czech Republic of "pleasing the United States."

　　The day before, the Czech government asked 18 Russian embassy staff to leave the country within 48 hours on the grounds that Russian intelligence personnel were suspected of participating in the 2014 Czech arsenal explosion. The Czech police also put two Russian citizens on the wanted list. Czech Prime Minister Babiche said at a news conference on the same day that Czech intelligence and security departments had "sufficient evidence" to suspect that Russian intelligence personnel were involved in the 2014 Czech arsenal explosion.

　　For the Czech practice, both the United States and Britain expressed their support. The US Embassy in the Czech Republic said that the United States stood with its staunch ally, the Czech Republic. "We appreciate their major actions to make Russia pay for its dangerous behavior." British Foreign Secretary Rab also expressed "full support" to the Czech Republic on the 18th. The Russian side firmly denied the allegations. Dzhabarov, the first vice chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian Federation Council, said that such absurd accusations are obviously "nonsense", and the Russians have nothing to do to blow up the Czech ammunition depot? Russia has never regarded the Czech Republic as an enemy.

　　RIA Novosti reported on the 18th that slutsky, chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma, said that the Czech Republic’s expulsion of Russian diplomats followed the anti-Russian policy of the United States, which was carefully planned, and the Czech Republic was following the anti-Russian steps of Washington. Belov, deputy director of the Institute of European Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that the expulsion of Russian diplomats by the Czech Republic shows that the Czech Republic supports US sanctions against Russia. Earlier, Poland expelled Russian diplomats for the same purpose. Behind these events, the United States hopes to strengthen its anti-Russian line by coordinating its actions with the "western collective."

　　The Russian statement is not groundless, because it is a bit too "coincidence" to say that this series of intensive "diplomatic expulsion wars" are completely isolated from each other. On the 15th, US President Biden signed an executive order to impose a new round of sanctions on Russia on the grounds of "interfering in the US presidential election" and "launching cyber attacks", and announced the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats in the United States. On the same day, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that three librarians of the Russian Embassy in Warsaw were listed as persona non grata.

　　Russia condemns American supporters as "vassals of the 21st century".

　　On the evening of 16th, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov announced a number of retaliatory measures in response to US sanctions. Russia decided to expel 10 American diplomats and blacklisted 8 current and former senior American officials, including US Attorney General Garland, National Intelligence Director Haynes and FBI Director Christopher Babers. Lavrov also suggested that the US ambassador to Russia return to China. In addition, Moscow decided to initiate procedures to abolish the stipulated agreement for American diplomats to travel in Russia, and will prohibit American diplomatic agencies in Russia from hiring Russian and third-country citizens.

　　Russia’s Kommersant newspaper said that the US ambassador to Russia was "suggested" to return to Washington for the first time since 1952. In fact, this is a bit like expelling the US ambassador, but it is certainly not an expulsion in the legal sense. At present, john sullivan, the US ambassador to Russia, refuses to return home. In this regard, Russian diplomatic sources said that Russia would "create conditions" for him so that he could not work effectively in Russia. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry made it clear that if the United States continues to impose anti-Russian sanctions, Russia will take more severe response measures.

　　In response to Poland’s practice, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the 17th, announcing the expulsion of five Polish diplomats in retaliation. Itar-Tass said on the 17th that Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Zacharova said that the Polish Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to support the US sanctions against Russia, which showed that the decision was made not on the basis of facts, but on the basis of orders, indicating the immoral discipline of this group. "This is not unity, but a vassal of the 21st century". Bunjevic, an expert at the Russian-Polish Cooperation Institute, believes that the Polish government has demonstrated its Atlantic route, which complements the anti-Russian actions being implemented by the United States.

　　Ukraine also broke out in a "diplomatic expulsion war" with Russia. According to the Russian News Agency, the Russian Federal Security Service announced on the 17th that a consul of the Ukrainian Consulate General in St. Petersburg was detained by the Russian side on the 16th because he met with Russian citizens locally and received non-public information. Subsequently, Russia announced the expulsion of the diplomat. On the same day, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also announced the expulsion of a Russian diplomat, saying that the decision was a response to Russia’s provocation.

　　Britain will send warships to the Black Sea.

　　Regarding Biden’s call for face-to-face dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a third country while facing Russian sanctions, Russian newspaper Izvestia reported on the 17th that Biden’s policy toward Russia itself is very contradictory. Gabzov, director of the Institute of American and Canadian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that the sanctions policy complicated the meeting between the two presidents. Of course, there is still time to wait until summer. If mutual sanctions are suspended, the summit is still likely to be held.

　　However, for Ukraine, which is at the forefront of confrontation with Russia, the situation is much more urgent. "Kiev hopes to join NATO and get Germany’s support." According to the German newspaper Le Monde on Sunday, melnick, the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, appealed to Germany in an interview with the newspaper that Germany should help Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible and unconditionally out of its historical responsibility to the Ukrainian people. A senior EU official told DPA that this is an "extremely worrying development" in view of Russia’s greatly increased military presence near the Russian-Ukrainian border. On the 17th, German Defense Minister Karrenbauer accused Russia of "directly and concretely" threatening European security.

　　French President Macron said in an interview with CBS on the 18th that the relationship between the West and Russia needs a "two-pronged strategy", which involves both dialogue and sanctions. "I don’t think sanctions are enough by themselves, but sanctions are part of the whole strategy". Macron said that he thought it necessary to "draw a clear red line" with Russia.

　　According to Sputnik news agency & radio’s report on 18th, slutsky, chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma, said that in view of the recent "anti-Russia" incident, the possibility of Russia’s withdrawal from Council of Europe, especially the parliamentary assembly, could be discussed, and Russian leaders would make an appropriate decision in this regard.

　　When the situation is delicate and tense, Britain also comes to the fire. On the 18th, Itar-Tass reported that Britain planned to send a destroyer and a frigate to the Black Sea in May, in order to show its support to Ukraine against the background of tension on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Interestingly, before Britain announced its plan to send warships to the Black Sea, the United States reportedly just cancelled its plan to deploy two warships to the Black Sea.

　　No matter what abacus the United States and Britain are playing, Russia is obviously unmoved. Reuters said on the 17th that Russian military presence in the Black Sea was further strengthened at a time when tensions with Ukraine were fermenting. On the same day, two Russian warships and 15 small ships entered the Black Sea through the Bosporus Strait.