A top Russia diplomat has hinted that the Kremlin may completely sever diplomatic relations with the UK, after it booted six British diplomats from the country, accusing them of espionage and sabotage.
Russia security service accused the six diplomats from the British embassy’s political department, who were all filmed leaving the embassy on Moscow’s west side, of carrying out an ‘escalation of the political and military situation’ and ensuring Russia’s strategic defeat in its war against Ukraine, charges that the UK’s Foreign Office has denied as ‘completely baseless.’
On state TV, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, said that while a complete severance of diplomatic relations would be ‘extreme measure’, they may be ‘necessary with the UK.’
Speaking on the Solovyov Live, Polyansky said: ‘There are still stages… of showing your dissatisfaction with the way another country does not develop relations.
‘And I think that they will all be used if necessary with the UK.
Vladimir Putin (pictured) may sever diplomatic ties with the UK, a top diplomat said
Russia security service accused the six diplomats from the British embassy of carrying out an ‘escalation of the political and military situation’ and ensuring Russia’s strategic defeat in its war against Ukraine
‘A complete severance of diplomatic relations is, of course, a very extreme measure. Here we have to weigh everything, all the pros and cons.’
Britain’s role in combating Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was thrown into the spotlight again this week, after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused the West of emboldening Putin by failing to sign off on a deal to give his nation’s troops long-range missiles.
British prime minister Keir Starmer and US president Joe Biden held talks in the Blue Room of the White House yesterday to discuss strategy on how to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, including whether to hand over Storm Shadow missiles to Zelensky.
Disappointingly for both parties, John Kirby, a spokesman for the US national security council, announced afterwards that there would be ‘no change to our policy’ on letting Ukraine use long-range missiles.
Despite this Starmer claimed that the UK and US have come to a ‘strong position’ in their quest for a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
The expulsions come at a time when the British Embassy in Moscow – headed by ambassador Nigel Casey – already has the lowest number of diplomats in Moscow for many decades
Diplomats were shown loading up a car before being expelled from the Embassy
British Ambassador’s residence in Moscow, Russia
He described his discussions with Mr Biden as ‘long and productive’, but would not be drawn on what the pair had decided regarding Ukraine’s potential use of Western weaponry against Russian targets.
It is believed that Biden was more resistant than Starmer to give the go-ahead, particularly as Putin warned the UK and the US that they would be ‘at war’ with Russia if they gave Ukraine the Storm Shadow missiles.
Questioned on what they had decided in relation to Ukraine’s potential use of long-range missiles, Sir Keir told reporters: ‘We had a wide-ranging discussion about strategy in Ukraine, of course, in the Middle East and other parts of the world.
‘This wasn’t a meeting about a particular capability. That wasn’t why we got our heads down today.
‘It was to allow ourselves the space, which we took, the time, which we took, to have a strategic discussion so that tactical decisions could be seen within the wider strategy.
‘It was a really good invitation from the President, we’ve had a very productive (meeting) and we’ve come to a strong position. I’m very pleased that we’ve had these discussions.’
The news of the expulsion of diplomats comes as Sir Keir Starmer speaks with US President Joe Biden about the prospect of allowing Ukraine to target Russia with long-range Western missiles
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) are coveted by Kyiv as they can strike deep into Russian held territory
Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace said the wrangling over Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles in Russia was just benefiting Vladimir Putin.
The Tory former minister said: ‘I’m just disappointed that it’s yet again, another tug of war around another capability.’
The row over whether Western missiles can be used to strike targets across Ukraine’s border follows similar delays over decisions on supplying tanks and fighter jets.
‘All of that delay, all of that tug of war favours Russia and allows Putin to insert, in the delay, threats and new red lines and efforts to divide and rule in the international community,’ Sir Ben told BBC Radio 4’s Today.
He said Mr Putin was ‘a bully, and for a bully to succeed all he needs to do is intimidate people, all he needs to do is get people to pause and… that’s how he gets us to change our behaviour’.
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