Russia says UK considers warming of ties with US a threat

London fears this will lead to failure of its strategy of containing Moscow, which centers on control over Ukraine, says Foreign Intelligence Service

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - As Moscow and Washington move to normalize relations and reach a deal to end the Ukraine war, Russia on Monday said the UK considers the warming of ties as a threat.

“According to information received by the SVR, the UK leadership sees a threat to its interests in the promotion of dialogue between the US and Russia on resolving the Ukrainian conflict,” state news agency TASS reported, citing a statement by the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

The UK fears this rapprochement will lead to the “failure of the British strategy of containing Moscow, in which control over Ukraine occupies a central place,” the statement said, adding that London considered it an “urgent priority” to undermine the peacekeeping efforts of the new US administration under President Donald Trump.

The agency accused the media and certain non-governmental organizations of “demonizing” Trump, as well as London of “acting as the main instigator of the global conflict.”

It said the UK is “extremely irritated” by Trump’s dialogue with Russia, “demonstrating disdain for its closest allies.”

The statement call on the need to send the UK a “clear signal” that its efforts to stir up conflict "will not work,” and its loss of control over Ukraine will undermine its plans to “create a Russophobic ‘belt of border states’ in Europe” and organize a naval blockade of Russia.

There was no immediate comment from British authorities.

The SVR’s claims came as the Russian Foreign Ministry ordered two British diplomats working in the UK Embassy in Moscow to leave the country within the next two weeks, claiming they submitted “deliberately false information” when receiving permission to enter Russia.

In February, Russian and US officials met in Riyadh, their first high-level talks since the Ukraine war in 2022, to lay the groundwork for peace talks and improve bilateral relations.

The two sides then met in Istanbul to normalize operations of their embassies.

Kaynak:

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