Russia expels Latvian ambassador who planned to leave anyway

Latvian Ambassador to Russia Māris Riekstiņš had planned to leave his diplomatic post on February 24 — the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — as part of Latvia’s commitment to stepping down diplomatic relations with Russia.

Today, however, the Russian Interior Ministry announced that it’s not going to wait for Latvia’s deadline to downgrade relations, and gives the ambassador two weeks to leave Moscow.

Criticizing Latvia’s decision to minimize its diplomatic presence in Russia in solidarity with Estonia, the Interior Ministry declared that what unites the Baltic countries in solidarity is their “total Russophobia and a desire to initiate aggressive steps against Russia, with the encouragement of the U.S. and other hostile countries.”