Butolpost.com — Tensions between Russia and the United States are heating up again. Moscow has publicly accused the US State Department of committing serious violations by “imposing” American citizenship on the children of Russian diplomats born in Uncle Sam’s country.
Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, in a statement published by the business daily Vedomosti, Monday, emphasized that this step violated international norms and diplomatic practices that both countries had upheld.
According to Zakharova, US authorities automatically applied the principle of jus soli or citizenship based on place of birth to the Russian diplomat’s baby. In fact, he said, this rule should not apply to diplomats’ families.
“The deep state in the US is creating new problems to pressure Russian diplomats, while showing the decline of what they call democracy,” he stressed.
He also believes that this policy is contrary to US law itself, including the immigration policy that President Donald Trump once advocated.
Zakharova emphasized that Russia would not recognize American citizenship that was “forced” on the children of its diplomats.
Moscow even demanded official clarification from Washington so that the babies born would not be placed under US jurisdiction.
Furthermore, Russia considers this issue to have the potential to become a new tool of pressure on its diplomats amidst bilateral relations which are still full of tension.
This strong statement adds to the long list of friction between the two great world powers, as well as opening up the potential for a new diplomatic conflict that could have a wider impact.***
