MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Russia and UK would both benefit if political and economic relations between the countries come back to normal, Russian Ambassador in London Andrey Kelin said on Rossiya 24 on Monday.

"Great Britain is trying to play an independent role on the world stage," he said. "It’s a serious, large country that possesses nuclear weapons and is one of the biggest economies."

"A restoration of normal relations in economic, social, humanitarian, political and economic areas is in the interests of both countries," he went on to say.

The diplomat said that dialogue between Russia and the UK went well "everywhere except the government" level. He said new British companies still open in Russia, even though they don’t get any help in that from their government.

"We are hearing calls by Britain to resume a political dialogue and hope that common sense will prevail and we will go back within the framework of normal discussions," Kelin said.