'It was nothing like a dialogue based on mutual respect.' Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin tells Newsnight Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was 'just repeating formulations of slogans' during a meeting with her Russian counterpart in Moscow
As part of a surge of UK diplomatic activity, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss met her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, while Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will travel to Russia on Friday."It's like we're listening but not hearing each other so our very detailed explanation fell on deaf ears," he said.
Ms Truss accused Russia of "Cold War rhetoric". She later told the BBC the UK was putting its "full diplomatic effort" into deterring an invasion and de-escalating the situation. They see more troops deployed close to Ukraine's border, whether in Russia or Belarus. They see more intelligence about Russia's plans. They see what they describe as greater disinformation and threats of cyber-attacks.
On the evidence of the frosty news conference between Liz Truss and Sergei Lavrov, there was no meeting of minds. And while there is talking taking place, the diplomatic door to a solution remains open, even it may be only ajar.prepare to start 10 days of joint military drillsThe current tensions come eight years after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula. Since then, Ukraine's military has been locked in a war with Russian-backed rebels in eastern areas near Russia's borders.
Legislation allowing tougher sanctions to be implemented against Russian individuals, businesses and other entities if it invadesMr Johnson later visited Poland, where 350 Royal Marines from 45 Commando arrived as part of support announced earlier this week, joining 150 personnel already in the country.
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