London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

UK condemns Russia's expulsion of European diplomats who attended illegal Alexei Navalny protests

UK condemns Russia's expulsion of European diplomats who attended illegal Alexei Navalny protests

German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the expulsion as "unjustified", while Sweden called it "totally unfounded".

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has criticised the Russian government after diplomats from several European countries were expelled from the country for allegedly joining protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

The Russian foreign ministry said Polish, German and Swedish officials took part in what it described as "illegal demonstrations" in St Petersburg and Moscow on 23 January.

Mr Raab has followed German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Sweden's government in condemning the expulsion, saying the UK stood "in solidarity with our European friends in the face of this unjustified action".

Alexei Navalny was jailed for three-and-a-half years


"The expulsion of German, Polish and Swedish diplomats from Russia for simply doing their jobs is a crude attempt to distract from Russia's targeting of opposition leaders, protesters and journalists," tweeted Mr Raab.

"We stand in solidarity with our European friends in the face of this unjustified action.

"This is the latest in a series of actions, since the poisoning of @Navalny, which shows the Russian government turning its back on international law."

Poland's foreign ministry said it expects Moscow to reverse "this erroneous decision," as it demanded talks with its Russian ambassador.

"Otherwise," officials in Warsaw said, "Poland leaves itself the option to take appropriate steps," meaning a likely tit-for-tat expulsion of a Russian.

Ms Merkel found out about the expulsion while having talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who told reporters: "I stand in solidarity with the three countries that have had their diplomats expelled."

The German leader said Berlin could impose further sanctions on Russia, "especially against people", adding that "we believe this is a further step away from the rule of law noticeable in Russia right now".

"We condemn his [Navalny's] prison term and now the expulsion of diplomats from Germany, Poland and Sweden," she said.

Moscow announced its move on Friday, soon after EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell met Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in the city.

Mr Borrell said he conveyed to his counterpart the EU's "deep concern" over the jailing of Mr Navalny, called for him to be released, and for an impartial investigation into his poisoning.

Navalny was sentenced at the Simonovsky District Court in Moscow


The UK, US, EU and the UN have all called for the immediate release of the fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin and thousands of peaceful protesters who have also been jailed.

Mr Navalny, 44, was jailed on Wednesday. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison at the Simonovsky District Court in Moscow over allegations he violated the conditions of a suspended sentence he received in 2014 for money laundering.

The opposition leader had just returned from Berlin, where he had been recovering from near-fatal exposure to the Soviet-era novichok nerve agent in August.

Mr Navalny's team maintains the Kremlin ordered his murder, a claim it denies. Mr Putin in turn alleges that Mr Navalny is working for the CIA, a charge he rejects.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses Mr Navalny of working with the CIA


Western hopes that Russia changes course are likely no more than wishful thinking

Analysis by Diana Magnay, Moscow correspondent

Josep Borrell's visit to Moscow was controversial from the start. The EU has not sent a delegation of his rank to Russia since 2017. Several EU member states opposed the trip coming as it did in the midst of massive political unrest, the detentions of more than 11,000 peaceful protestors and Alexei Navalny's jailing for a case the European Court of Human Rights had declared "arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable" back in 2017.

"The point of diplomacy is precisely to engage, to pass messages and try to find a common ground, especially when things are bad," Borrell had told Interfax ahead of his arrival.

Coming away he may have questioned that rationale. At a press conference on Friday morning with talks still underway, he praised the Russian COVID vaccine, saying he hoped it would receive certification from the European Medical Agency soon.

That is a major win for the Russian state which has always had a political calculus with regard to its vaccine. His reward? The expulsion of three European diplomats for participating in unsanctioned rallies. It is a slap in the face, adding muscle to what the Kremlin and foreign ministry have repeated over and over again these past two weeks - that condemnation from the West is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Fresh geopolitical boundaries were drawn this Friday. President Biden set a new tone for US-Russian relations, saying the US would no longer roll over in the face of Russian aggression; Moscow set a new tone with the EU with the diplomatic expulsions. Mr Borrell said that decision should be reconsidered. That is perhaps wishful thinking.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×