The US State Department described the expulsion of two of its diplomats from Russia as an “unjustified” act, warning that the United States would respond appropriately.

Ministry Spokesman Matthew Miller said in a press briefing that the expulsion of two US Embassy employees from Russia is “unjustified and has no positive effect.”

Miller added that the United States will respond in an appropriate manner to the Russian move, stressing that "Russia chose an approach of confrontation and escalation instead of constructive diplomatic engagement."

On Wednesday, Russia announced that two members of the American Embassy's staff were "undesirable" and accused them of being "liaison agents" for a former Russian employee who was arrested at the beginning of the year. Moscow accuses him of transmitting information about the conflict in Ukraine to the United States.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the two diplomats who were considered “persona non grata” are the first and second secretaries of the US Embassy in Moscow, Jeffrey Sellen and David Bernstein, and they must leave Russian territory within seven days.

This comes at a time when relations have reached their lowest levels between Russia and the United States, one of the most prominent financial and military supporters of Ukraine, as Russia has launched a military operation in Ukraine since February 2022.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency