MOSCOW, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Moldovan ambassador Andrei Neguta and expressed a strong protest after Moldova declared Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin persona non grata on Wednesday.
The ministry in a statement called the decision an "irresponsible step aimed at deliberately undermining Russian-Moldovan relations."
"Such dangerous actions can have a serious destabilizing influence on the overall situation in the region and in Europe as a whole," it said, adding that Russia will respond appropriately.
Earlier in the day, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry declared Rogozin persona non grata and banned him from entering the Eastern European country and crossing its territory, citing Rogozin's defamatory remarks about a Moldovan governmental delegation.
The pro-Western Moldovan government is at odds with its president Igor Dodon, who wants to establish close relations with Russia.
Last week, a passenger plane with Rogozin aboard was refused by Romania to enter its airspace as the Russian senior official is sanctioned by the European Union over Crimea and the Ukrainian conflicts.
Rogozin was flying to meet Dodon in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau. He was forced to land in the Belarusian capital of Minsk before returning to Moscow. Rogozin vowed to retaliate.
