The diplomatic row between the EU and Belarus has escalated after Belarus asked the EU envoy and the ambassador of Poland to leave the country. In retaliation, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said in a statement tonight that \"the ambassadors of the EU Member States in Minsk will all be withdrawn for consultations to their capitals\". \"All EU Member States will also summon Belarusian ambassadors to their foreign ministries. We will continue to follow the situation closely,\" she said after a meeting with EU ambassadors to Brussels. The diplomatic tension came after the EU announced earlier that it was strengthening sanctions on Belarus for human rights violations.