Russia, Romania: Spy Accusations in Context

A worker at the Romanian Embassy in Moscow was arrested Aug. 16 on espionage charges, prompting Bucharest to expel a Russian diplomat from the country. The purported Romanian intelligence officer was turned in by one of his Russian sources, and while conflicting reports have emerged on how he was caught, the information the agent sought was consistent with Romania's geopolitical interests. This incident underscores the longtime role that intelligence and security apparatuses have played in Eastern European states' pursuance of their foreign policy aims. As competition over the region between the West and Russia intensifies, an increase in activity of this type is likely.