Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov commented on the expulsion of two German diplomats in response to Berlin's announcement of two employees of the Russian embassy persona non grata.
During the briefing, journalists asked a Kremlin spokesman if this diplomatic decision would affect relations between Moscow and Berlin, and whether the heads of the two countries are planning to hold talks.
“We hope that these contacts will come true. Second, we count and hope for continuity in the course of Germany in relation to Russia and for the continuity of bilateral relations, which we value and are interested in, ”said Peskov.
Earlier, Germany declared two Russian diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Berlin persona non grata after the verdict in the case of the murder of Georgian citizen Zelimkhan Khangoshvili.
In response to the "unfriendly decision of the FRG government," Russia decided to expel two German diplomats.
On December 15, the highest court in Berlin sentenced to life imprisonment a Russian citizen accused of killing Khangoshvili in a Berlin park in 2019.
The indictment stated that Sokolov, whose real name is Vadim Krasikov, allegedly received an order for the murder "from state departments of the government of the Russian Federation", and Khangoshvili himself headed "the Chechen militia in the fight against Russia."
Russia has repeatedly denied accusations against Russian government agencies in this case, calling them "unfounded and groundless." At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the Russian special services discussed with their German colleagues the issue of extradition of Khangoshvili.
bbabo.Net