In “absolutely necessary” cases
Britain held secret talks with Russia
September 23, 2023, 6:24 p.m
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Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many countries have largely suspended diplomatic relations with Moscow. So does Great Britain. However, every now and then there are meetings between British and Russian officials, as is now known.
British officials have held secret talks with Kremlin officials following the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. A spokesman for the British Foreign Office confirmed this to the British newspaper “i”. Accordingly, there were several meetings over the past 18 months that took place in different locations, such as Vienna and New York. The report said the talks were part of Britain’s behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts.
The meetings are said to have focused primarily on security issues that affect both Great Britain and the international community. The British representatives spoke with the Russian officials about the global grain shortage and nuclear threats. The report does not provide any information about the results of the negotiations. The Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized to the newspaper that the meetings only took place when they were deemed “absolutely necessary.”
The British government had maintained “minimal diplomatic relations with Russia” since the start of the war, he said. This only applies to areas “where it was absolutely necessary for vital British security interests or international security issues, including in multilateral bodies such as the UN Security Council and the OSCE, where Russia is still represented.”
Peace negotiations not part of the talks
The spokesman also rejected claims that these talks were aimed at negotiating an end to the Ukraine conflict, calling such claims “neither credible nor accurate.” Accordingly, it is solely up to Ukraine to determine its future and its position in possible peace negotiations.
A high-ranking British diplomat who took part in the talks also confirmed this to “i”. “We are in no way dividing up parts of the country or making peace agreements for anyone.” At no point were the meetings about conditions for ending the war. Nevertheless, it is “crucially important” to maintain contact with Russia. “We have remained in touch and believe it is important to maintain an open dialogue during the war in Ukraine,” the newspaper quoted the official as saying.
A former intelligence officer and current security advisor to the British government reacted similarly to the talks. Maintaining contacts with Moscow is “a good thing”, especially in relation to solving international problems such as grain exports. “That makes sense,” he told the newspaper. “But I would be amazed if these contacts contained anything substantive about ending the war.”