<span style="color: #222222;">European allies have started expelling Russian diplomats from their countries. The Netherlands said it is expelling 17 Russians. In a statement, the Netherlands said it took the decision in consultation with a number of like-minded countries citing similar expulsions by the United States, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Montenegro.  Belgium said it is ejecting 21 Russians while the Czech Republic gave one Russian diplomat 72 hours to leave the country. Ireland told four senior Russian officials to leave the country because of activities deemed not in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour.<br />''<br />''Russia also expelled diplomats from the three Baltic EU states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in retaliation for those countries expelling Russian diplomats earlier this month.</span><br />