Russia has expelled two British diplomats while negotiating to restore relations with the U.S.

Russia has accused two British diplomats of espionage and has given them a two-week deadline to exit the country, further straining diplomatic relations with Europe while simultaneously engaging in discussions to mend ties with the United States.

The British embassy has not yet responded to requests for comments, although it has previously dismissed similar accusations against its diplomats in Moscow.

These two diplomats appear to be the first Western officials expelled from Russia since discussions began between Moscow and Washington regarding the restoration of personnel at their respective embassies, which have been significantly reduced due to reciprocal expulsions. This situation has raised concerns among European allies regarding President Donald Trump’s efforts to improve relations with the Kremlin.

The expulsions have severely impacted the operations of Russian embassies in the West and Western missions in Russia, particularly following Russia’s extensive military actions in Ukraine that began in 2022.

According to Russia’s Federal Security Service, the diplomats allegedly provided false information to gain entry into the country and were found to have engaged in activities deemed harmful to Russian security, indicating signs of intelligence and subversive operations.

In response to the expulsions, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned a representative from the British embassy. Moscow has expressed its displeasure over Britain’s ongoing military support for Ukraine, particularly in light of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent comments about potentially deploying British troops and aircraft to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping initiative.

Additionally, in February, Russian authorities launched a criminal investigation into an alleged attack on a freelance journalist, reportedly involving an individual believed to be associated with the British embassy. London has characterized this allegation as an “interference operation” aimed at intimidating legitimate diplomats.

The announcement was made one day following Britain’s decision to expel a Russian diplomat in response to Moscow’s expulsion of a British diplomat last November. Since the onset of the Ukraine conflict, relations between Britain and Russia have deteriorated to their lowest point since the Cold War. Britain has participated in multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia and has supplied arms to Ukraine.