French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with the countries whose diplomats were expelled from Russia on Friday
PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2021) French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with the countries whose diplomats were expelled from Russia on Friday.
Russia expelled three European diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden for participating in unauthorized rallies in support of Alexey Navalny, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Speaking at a briefing at the conclusion of a Franco-German Security and Defense Council, Macron reiterated his strong condemnation of the imprisonment of opposition figure Alexey Navalny and said he stood by his EU colleagues.
"And I stand in solidarity with the countries whose diplomats have been expelled, and will continue to support them through clear and firm messages regarding Russia," Macron said.
The diplomats were expelled during a press conference of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.
Borrell was in Moscow on an official visit. This is the first visit of the head of European diplomacy to the Russian capital since 2017.
Earlier, a source in Moscow told reporters that a Swedish diplomat had taken part in an unauthorized rally on Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg on January 23. The Swedish embassy said the diplomat had only watched the action.
