The Dutch Foreign Ministry has ordered 17 Russian diplomats stationed in the Netherlands to leave the country within the next two weeks.
The charge? Espionage for the aggressive Putin regime, according to investigations by two Dutch intelligence agencies. 😳
Protecting the Netherlands
“These people have ‘diplomat’ written on their business card, while they do something else entirely,” Dutch foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra tells the NOS.
The decision was also made against the backdrop of ever-increasing aggression of Russia against Ukraine, says Hoekstra. “We have made this decision for the sake of the safety of the Netherlands.”
Russian diplomats as a security risk
The exact nature of intelligence gathered by the Russian diplomats is not clear. But the Netherlands is not the only country taking such a step.
According to the NOS, Belgium has expelled 12 Russian diplomats, Ireland has expelled four and the Czech Republic one.
With 17 Russian diplomats expelled from the Netherlands, there are still 58 remaining to keep up a dialogue between the two countries.
What do you think about this decision to make Russian diplomats leave the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments!
Feature Image: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain