Russia's Foreign Ministry reacts to refusal of EU ambassadors to meet with Russia's minister

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has demanded that the European diplomats explain how they plan to do their job after refusing to meet with Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister.

As reported by the Russian Interfax media outlet, earlier this week, Lavrov claimed that the EU ambassadors rejected his invitation to the meeting during which he was planning to warn them "not to intervene in future presidential elections in Russia".

"The conclusion is obvious: they are not eager to keep in touch with the official Russian government in general…The EU’s comment was that this is a normal diplomatic practice. Well, no, it is an abnormal, illogical practice which destroys the principle of ambassadorship. This calls into question the goal of the diplomatic representation of these countries…What is the point of their presence in our country?", Zakharova stated.

She recalled that Western diplomats ("representatives of NATO countries") participated in a number of actions, high-profile court proceedings, and meetings with students in Russia.

"Are protest actions their competence? They were engaging in a spying activity…They also met with students. But they do not talk to them about their countries and do not explain their Russophobic positions, instead just trying to influence our youth in their own interests…

They go to court collectively, taking each other by the hand. These are our internal affairs. I have always wanted to tell them: if Western ambassadors go to court proceedings which concern the citizens of our country, and these courts are in the territory of Russia, then they should be qualified as accomplices. How can they support a citizen of a foreign country in court, if they are not directly involved in their affairs? This has become a norm," Zakhrova added.

Zakharova claimed that she expected an explanation from Western diplomats about "what they are doing in Russia, what their functions are and how they plan to organise their work".

Recently, Zakharova also claimed that Germany "was not denazified" enough after Russian propaganda leaked the conversation between German generals about what damage can potentially be done to the Crimean Bridge with the Taurus missiles.