ROME – Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio announced that 30 Russian diplomats have been expelled from Italy “for national security reasons” on Tuesday during his visit to Berlin, political sources said.

 “The Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Ettore Sequi, summoned the Russian Ambassador to Italy, Sergey Razov, to the Foreign Office [Tuesday] morning, on my instructions, to notify him of the Italian Government's decision to expel 30 Russian diplomats in service at the Embassy as a 'personae non gratae',” Di Maio said.

 “The measure was taken in agreement with other European and Atlantic partners in the context of the unjustified aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation,” added the minister.

 Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded that "Russia will give a pertinent answer," as reported by Interfax.

 "There will be no threats to stop our action for peace,” added Di Maio. “Our goal is to achieve peace in this war in Ukraine, a war wanted and unleashed by Putin, who we must stop with all our strength, starting with the ceasefire and reaching an agreement.”

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