Moscow said it would take retaliatory measures against the EU's decision to reduce the number of Russian diplomatic representatives in Brussels, saying the move showed the European Union did not deserve to participate in peace talks in Ukraine, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
The EU's foreign policy chief Kaia Kalas said on Monday that she had decided to impose a limit on the size of Russia's mission to EU institutions in Brussels. According to her, Russia will now be able to have up to 40 representatives.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said today that the EU's decision to limit the size of Russia's diplomatic mission was "discriminatory" and will not remain unanswered.
She also commented on the EU's planned permanent ban on Russian oil imports. According to her, only a "crazy person" could make such a proposal.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported, citing official documents, that the EC intends to submit a legislative proposal for a permanent ban on Russian oil imports on April 15 - three days after the parliamentary elections in Hungary.
Two EU sources told Reuters that the deadline was chosen so that the ban on Russian oil imports into the EU would not be a major issue during the election campaign in Hungary.
Hungary and Slovakia, which still depend on Russian oil imports, are categorically against any such ban.
In the elections on April 12, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his ruling Fidesz party are facing the opposition TISA party, led by Peter Magyar, which is seen as the favorite in opinion polls.
Brussels has already imposed sanctions on the EU's import of Russian oil by sea, but with the new legislation it wants to guarantee a complete exclusion of Russian oil, which would remain in force even if a peace agreement with Ukraine leads to the lifting of sanctions.
Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline have been interrupted since January 27 after Kiev said a Russian drone had hit equipment in western Ukraine. Slovakia and Hungary blame Kiev for the prolonged disruption of supplies, while Ukrainian authorities say they are trying to repair the pipeline.