"Estonians have ceased almost all economic contacts [with Russia] which, it seemed, were beneficial to them, and now we have practically no economic relations. In principle, countries must live in harmony with their neighbors. It would be good if the Russian and the Estonian peoples had good neighborly and mutually beneficial relations," Lipayev told the Soloviev Live show.
On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow lowered the level of diplomatic relations with Estonia after the Estonian Foreign Ministry required that Russia reduce the number of staff in its embassy in Tallinn starting February 1.
In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Estonian Ambassador to Russia Margus Laidre and asked him to leave the country by February 7, at the same time as Lipayev would leave Estonia.