MADRID, 18 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Spanish ambassador in Moscow, Marcos Gómez, first thing this Wednesday, diplomatic sources have confirmed to Europa Press.

Gómez's call by the department headed by Sergei Lavrov will foreseeably be the preliminary step for the expulsion of personnel from the Spanish Embassy in Russia, in retaliation for the step taken by Spain after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow has not yet proceeded to expel Spanish diplomats as it has done with personnel from other embassies whose countries have proceeded to force Russian diplomats out of their territory.

On April 5, the Spanish government ordered the departure of 27 employees from the Russian Embassy in Madrid. Already then, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zajarova, pointed out that "all decisions of this type will have a corresponding response."

In a recent parliamentary response, to which Europa Press had access, the Government had indicated that it was "aware" of the possibility of the expulsion of diplomatic personnel and assured that "it is prepared for such an eventuality, in addition to keeping a close eye on contact and coordination with its European partners".