Germany will expel a “significant number” of Russian diplomats, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement on Monday, linking the expulsion to reported atrocities in Bucha, Ukraine.
What you say: “The pictures from Bucha testify to the unbelievable brutality of the Russian leadership and its propaganda, to a will to annihilate across all borders,” said Baerbock.
- “The federal government has therefore decided today to declare a significant number of members of the Russian Embassy as undesirables, who have fought against our freedom and against the cohesion of our society here in Germany on a daily basis,” she added.
- “Together with our partners, we are launching further countermeasures. We will further tighten existing sanctions against Russia, decisively expand our support for the Ukrainian armed forces and also strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.”
Game Status: The reported killings of civilians in Bucha – some with their hands tied behind their backs – have prompted fresh sanctions against Russia by both President Biden and European Union leaders.
- The Russian Defense Ministry has denied the reports.
- The expulsion order affects 40 diplomatic employees at the Russian embassy who are linked to Russian secret services, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported.
French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs announced later on Monday that it would also expel numerous Russian diplomats “whose activities are contrary to our security interests”.
- “This action is part of a European approach. Our first responsibility is always to ensure the safety of French and Europeans,” the press release said.
The big picture: Germany is under renewed pressure from other EU countries to sanction Russian energy imports after the Bucha massacre, writes Axios’ Zach Basu.
go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with an announcement from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.