Germany labels Russia's decision to deny entry to lawmaker and Merkel ally 'unacceptable'

BERLIN – Germany is protesting Russia's decision to turn away an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Conservative lawmaker Karl-Georg Wellmann was denied entry into Russia when he arrived at Moscow airport on Sunday, and returned to Germany on Monday.

Wellmann has been an outspoken critic of Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatist rebels are fighting government forces.

Germany's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday that the Russian government's decision was "incomprehensible and unacceptable," and called on Moscow to lift any entry ban against Wellmann.

The protest was delivered to the Russian government by Germany's ambassador in Moscow and to the Russian embassy in Berlin.