Brussels caps Russian diplomatic mission at 40 staff over spy fears

The EU has ordered Russia’s diplomatic mission in Brussels to reduce its staff to 40 people by 1 September 2026. The cap, which excludes the acting head of mission Karen Malayan, represents a cut of about a third from the mission's current authorised size of 60. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas cited security concerns, stating: “We will not tolerate abuse of diplomatic power.”

The order relies on Article 11 of the Vienna Convention, which allows the accrediting state to enforce "closer parity" with its own embassy in Moscow. According to EU foreign service spokeswoman Anitta Hipper, the notification was formally delivered to the Russian mission. The move is designed to break the historical cycle where expelled Russian intelligence officers were simply replaced by new arrivals.

The staff reduction formalises an existing institutional quarantine. Russian diplomats have been effectively barred from the European Commission, the EU Council, and the European Parliament since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. “There is a suspension of access to the council premises for Russian diplomats,” the EU Council confirmed.

This cordon sanitaire extends across the EU quarter. Member state missions, ranging from the Baltics and Poland to Slovakia, have confirmed they do not meet or host Russian diplomats. Even pro-Russian MEPs have declared no meetings with Russian representatives in recent transparency filings, avoiding a reputational risk that mainstream lobby firms have