Russia summons Romania's chargé d'affaires

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Romania's temporary chargé d'affaires in Moscow, Liliana Burdă, according to TASS as reported by European Pravda. The diplomat is required to appear at the Russian ministry on Thursday, August 27. No reason for the summons has been disclosed yet.

Escalating diplomatic tensions

The move follows a series of tense exchanges between the two countries. In late July, Romania's Foreign Ministry announced that a member of Russia's diplomatic mission in Bucharest would be declared persona non grata. That decision came after Romania shot down an airspace-violating drone with a fighter jet for a third consecutive day.

In June, Bucharest closed the Russian consulate general and, the previous month, declared Russia's consul general persona non grata. Those measures were a response to a Russian drone crashing into a residential building in Galați on May 29.

In retaliation, Russia decided to declare Romania's consul general persona non grata and to close Romania's consulate general in St. Petersburg.