Page 27 - RusRPTNov21

2.6 Russia breaks of diplomatic ties with Nato
Russia broke off diplomatic ties with Nato on October 18, expelling Nato’s diplomats at a liaison and communication office in Moscow and also ordering its representatives at Nato HQ home by the end of the month.
Russia said it would halt the activities of its diplomatic mission to Nato after the Western military alliance expelled eight Russians n October 6 from its headquarters, claiming they were spies.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said staff at Nato's military mission in Moscow would be stripped of their accreditation from November 1, and the alliance's information office in the Russian capital would be closed.
"If Nato members have any urgent matters, they can contact our ambassador in Belgium on these questions," Lavrov told a news conference as cited by Reuters.
The Kremlin has taken a harder line in its international relations since the start of this year when Lavrov laid out new rules of the game in a speech that said Russia would not accept the dual policy of sanctions attacks on one hand and cooperation in things like business on the other.
The policy was launch by humiliating European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell during his visit to Moscow in February when three European diplomats were expelled while Lavrov was in a meeting with Borrell.
Lavrov went on to say Russia was willing to break off diplomatic relations with the EU if it persisted in trying to interfere with Russia’s domestic affairs.
The break with Nato comes after there were hopes of some sort of rapprochement after Russian President Vladimir Putin and US president Joe Biden met in Geneva on June 16 and appeared to strike a pragmatic compromise where Russia and the US could become “frienemies” cooperating on issues of mutual interest like arms controls and the fight against international terrorism, but agree to disagree on things like Russia’s authoritarian regime.
27 RUSSIA Country Report November 2021 www.intellinews.com