Belarus summoned the highest US embassy official in Minsk to the foreign ministry on April 30, presenting him with a list of "personae non gratae", who had to leave within 72 hours.

The republic's latest move follows the expulsion of the US ambassador in March.

"We are considering our response to this action," said US State Department Spokesperson Sean McCormack, adding that they would do everything possible to comply with the request and ensure the staff left the country within the set time limit.

The US embassy says it currently has 15 diplomats in Minsk.

The diplomatic expulsions were initially ordered after Washington imposed sanctions on the country's state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim, which accounts for about a third of the country's foreign currency earnings.

Belarus said that its embassy staff in Washington had been cut to six, but that the US had not yet cut enough staff in Minsk.