KM: Where do diplomatic relations between London and Moscow stand today?
DB: Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has put an already difficult relationship under huge strain. We knew about Russia’s plans in advance and tried to persuade the Russian state not to invade, including the then Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary when they visited Moscow in early 2022, and calls between the then [British] prime minister and President Putin, as well as conversations my team and I had with our contacts in Russia. We told Russia that we would support Ukraine to defend itself and that there would be consequences for Russia if it went ahead with the invasion. It is a tragedy for Russia, Ukraine and the wider world that President Putin chose war over diplomacy.
At times of tension, it is very important to maintain channels for dialogue, so despite our profound differences we continue to communicate directly with the Russian government via the embassy.
Of course, we hope for a better future when we can again work together on important issues, such as climate change. But Russia needs to stop its aggression against Ukraine and respect international borders.