Estonia recalls its ambassador to Russia

MOSCOW (AA) – Estonia has officially recalled the country's ambassador to Russia, an official announcement said Tuesday.

The relevant decree was signed on Monday, said President Alar Karis’ press service.

Last week, Russia downgraded its relations with its much smaller neighbor Estonia to the level of charge d’affaires over Tallinn’s decision to reduce the size of its Russian mission amid the war in Ukraine.

The same day, Latvia also expelled the Russian ambassador, in solidarity with Estonia.

Lithuania – Moscow’s third Baltic neighbor – last April downgraded diplomatic relations with Russia and returned its ambassador from Moscow, in the wake of the start of the war, last February.

In October, Sergey Ryabokon, Russia’s charge d'affaires in Lithuania, was also declared persona non grata.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov decried what he called the "extremely aggressive" position of the Baltic states and Poland, adding that "major European countries" should counterbalance their stance.