Russia's Ambassador Slams Andorra's 'Destructive' Stance on Ukraine Sanctions

Russia's ambassador to Andorra has accused the Principat of pursuing a "destructive line" since 2022, following its condemnation of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and adoption of EU sanctions.

Yuri Klimenko, in a written response to questions from Diari d'Andorra, described Andorra's shift as "especially lamentable," arguing it broke with a century-old tradition of informal neutrality in foreign policy. He claimed the country voluntarily aligned with EU anti-Russian restrictions, freezing bilateral ties that had previously been friendly and productive.

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Andorra were established on 13 June 1995, leading to growing cooperation in international forums and bilateral areas like culture and tourism. Klimenko highlighted a joint project resulting in the book *Andorra and the Poet*, featuring works by Russian writer Maximilian Voloshin, who visited Andorra in 1901. In tourism, a 2019 agreement eliminated visa requirements for nationals of both countries, with around 40,000 Russian visitors annually before 2022.

The ambassador criticised Andorra's post-2022 actions, including support for Ukraine, implementation of EU sanctions in national law, and rhetorical attacks on Russia within the OSCE. He said these measures, based on what he called EU-promoted "anti-Russian narratives," halted cooperation across nearly all fields, including political dialogue with his mission.

Defending Russia's "special military operation," Klimenko attributed it to Ukraine's direction since a 2014 "coup" that ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych and sparked conflict in Donbas. He alleged Kyiv built its state on an anti-Russian narrative, violently repressing protests in the south and east. Russia, he said, exhausted peaceful options until 2022, when it acted under UN Charter rights to self-defence, protect Donbas residents, demilitarise and "denazify" Ukraine, and neutralise threats to its security.

Klimenko expressed Russia's desire to end the crisis swiftly and live in peace with all nations. He urged Andorra to restore mutually beneficial ties, including through multilateral bodies, and suggested environmental protection—particularly mountain ecosystems—as a potential area for fruitful collaboration.