The Russian government has ordered the closure of Romania’s consular office in Rostov-on-Don, the latest reflection of strained relations between the countries since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Moscow said on Monday it had accepted the Russian Foreign Ministry’s proposal to close the consulate with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signing off on the decision, TASS news agency reported.
The consulate opened in 2005.
„In accordance with Article 37 of the Federal Law On International Treaties of the Russian Federation,” Moscow „denounces” the agreement to open the consular office , according to a document published on the official Internet portal of legal information.
Russia will formally notify Romania of the decision.
Diplomatic relations between Romania and Russia, never good, have deteriorated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian officials have introduced quotas for the number of diplomatic and consular staff members of Romania in Russia, in retaliation after Romania decided to reduce the staff of Moscow’s embassy in Bucharest.
On June 8, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced it was cutting Russia’s diplomatic and technical-administrative staff in Bucharest „by limiting its number to a level close to that of Romania’s diplomatic and technical-administrative representation in Russia.”
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