The U.S. ambassador to Moscow is advised to go "home for consultations." This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a press conference in Moscow. According to the Russian Foreign Minister, the expulsion of the ambassador is one of the responses to new U.S. sanctions against Russia.
Another counter-sanctions - Moscow will ban the employment of Russians and citizens of third countries. Also, "uncontrolled short-term trips" of employees to work in U.S. diplomatic missions in Russia will cease. Ten U.S. diplomats will be expelled from Russia. In addition, Russia will close the entry into the country of eight high-ranking U.S. officials.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke during a press conference in Moscow about russia's response to the new US sanctions. Later, the statement on the measures taken was published on the website of the Foreign Ministry.
First, he said, U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan was advised to go "home for consultations." In fact, this means that the Russian authorities are expelling the American ambassador.
"Today Yuri Ushakov recommended Ambassador John Sullivan to go to his capital and hold detailed, serious consultations there," Lavrov said.
Unlike the announcement of the ambassador persona non grata (such as the U.S. Ambassador to the USSR George Kennan was announced in 1952), this intermediate form of the host's demarche means that after some time the head of the diplomatic mission may return. At the same time, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 does not have the option to "send an ambassador for consultations" at all.
Secondly, Moscow is launching a procedure that will stop the practice of hiring Russians and third-country citizens to work in American diplomatic missions.
Thirdly, the practice of "uncontrolled short-term travel of employees to work in U.S. diplomatic missions in Russia" will be discontinued."
Fourthly, 10 American diplomats are expelled from Moscow (the same number is expelled from Washington by the US authorities). At the same time, Sergey Lavrov made it clear that if the U.S. continues to increase sanctions, this figure could increase significantly.
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Recall, on April 15, the U.S. authorities gave a long-processed response to what Washington claims to be "malicious activity" of Russia, posing an "extraordinary threat to national security, foreign policy and the U.S. economy." President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the country because of Moscow's actions and imposed a number of new sanctions against it. Thirty-two individuals and entities were restricted for "interference in elections" and "disinformation activities" and six technology companies were charged with "supporting Russian intelligence services." Ten diplomats will be sent from the United States.
On April 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin held an operational meeting with the permanent members of the Security Council in a video conference mode.
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