British policy towards Russia consists of 95% of deterrence and 5% of dialogue, envoy says

Russian Politics & Diplomacy August 09, 2020, 1:36

The ambassador referred to the state of relations between the UK and Russia as difficult

LONDON, August 9. /TASS/. The policy of "deterrence and dialogue" towards Russia chosen by NATO and Britain consists of 95% of deterrence and only 5% of dialogue, Russia’s Ambassador in the UK Andrei Kelin said in an interview with the Chinese TV channel CGTN on Saturday.

"NATO has taken a position as a leader of the western world - a policy of deterrence and dialogue towards Russia, and London would like to be a leader in these efforts. But there is 95% deterrence and only 5% of dialogue," he said, adding that the Russian side is worried about another wave of accusations against Moscow "in the recent days in the media here and Britain." "It of course provides little appetite in Moscow to develop dialogue," he noted.

The ambassador referred to the state of relations between the UK and Russia as difficult. "Political contacts are close to being frozen. And this is very bad. I have seen some expression of intentions to review this policy to restart a relationship in the political field. But all of this is being damned by this attack once and once again," he said.

"The government in London should be realistic. It should understand the benefits of cooperation and working with Russia but not against Russia. Deterrence is the policy that has been, as I said, taken up against Russia, and of course it is not a cooperation that we have all envisaged," Kelin emphasized.

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