Dutch MFA summons Russian ambassador over MH17 case

The Dutch Foreign Ministry has summoned Russia’s ambassador Alexander Shulgin in connection with the emergence of new data concerning the investigation of the MH17 disaster over Ukraine in July 2014, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Thursday, according to the Netherlands Broadcasting Corporation.

Rutte told parliament that the Russian ambassador had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday in connection with the latest statements by the MH17 Joint Investigation Team. He added that Shulginov was asked "to give written and verbal explanations."

According to the broadcaster, some Dutch MPs suggested that Rutte should expel the ambassador and call on his European counterparts at the EU summit in Brussels on February 9-10 to follow suit. However, Rutte replied he saw no reason for such a move. He stressed that he would like to keep the channels of communication with Russia open and speculated that Moscow would almost certainly expel the Dutch ambassador in retaliation.