NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Photo: AFP/VNA

Stronger sanctions

Although Russia claims the alleged murder of civilians in Bucha are part of a hostile disinformation campaign, European countries expelled nearly 150 Russian diplomats in the first week of April. On Tuesday, Italy, Spain, and Denmark asked 70 diplomats to leave. A day earlier, Germany ordered the expulsion of 35 diplomats and France kicked out 40 representatives of Russia.

On March 29, before the Bucha accusations were made, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland expelled 40 Russian Foreign Ministry employees. On March 3, Poland expelled 40 Russian diplomats on charges of espionage, and froze the accounts of the Russian embassy, a move Moscow says violates the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations between countries.

By the end of March, the West had imposed more than 5,000 sanctions on Russia, making Russia the most-sanctioned country in the world.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that NATO would welcome Finland and Sweden, two neutral countries, if they applied to join the alliance. That statement is sure to enflame the conflict with Moscow. Finland has a 1,300 km border with Russia and has been a neutral country since 1948 when it signed a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Photo: TASS

Russia's reaction and Western countries' de-escalation efforts 

In the face of steady pressure from the West, the Russian Government has continued to show a tough and defiant stance. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told French TV channel LCI on Wednesday that Moscow does not rule out severing diplomatic relations if Western countries keep expelling Russian diplomats. Peskov described the West’s recent actions as hostile and a threat to diplomatic relations, but insisted that maintaining diplomatic relations right now is essential.

Analysts agree that severing diplomatic relations between Russia and the West would be a dangerous move with unpredictable consequences and is not conducive to global stability. NATO members like Turkey and Hungary are playing the role of mediator to de-escalate tensions. Turkey mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on March 29 and is continuing that effort. Meanwhile, Hungary, a member of both the EU and NATO, recently proposed a four-way meeting of Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine in Budapest to find a solution to the current crisis.

Some EU countries are maintaining a dialogue and energy cooperation with Russia, despite outside pressures. Tensions have not yet completely overwhelmed the perceived need for international cooperation.