EU kicks as Russia expels 18 diplomats

The European Union condemned Russia’s “baseless decision” to expel 18 EU diplomats from the country, EU spokesperson Peter Stano said in a statement Friday.

“The European Union deplores the unjustified, baseless decision of the Russian Federation to expel 18 members of the Delegation of the European Union to the Russian Federation,” Stano said.

“The EU diplomats in question exercise their functions in the framework of and in full respect for the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”

Stano called Russia’s decision “a pure retaliatory step” that “will further deepen its international isolation.”

“The European Union continues to strongly call on Russia to stop its aggression against Ukraine and to return to respect of international rules and to a cooperative approach in its international relations,” he said.