The German government would shut down four out of the five Russian consulates
The German government has announced plans to shut down four out of the five Russian consulates in Germany by revoking their licenses, in response to Moscow’s decision to limit the number of German officials in Russia.
The Russian embassy in Berlin and one consulate general will remain open. The closures will be implemented by the end of the year. In a reciprocal move, Germany’s Foreign Office also revealed the closure of three of its consulates general in Russia.
The decision aims to achieve a balance in the diplomatic presence of both countries in terms of personnel and structure. Tensions between Germany and Russia have escalated, particularly since the onset of the Ukraine crisis, which resulted in significant EU sanctions against Russia.
As a consequence, diplomatic expulsions have occurred between the two nations on multiple occasions.
