LONDON, August 1. /TASS/. Relations between Russia and the United Kingdom are at their lowest point, and only the end of the conflict in Ukraine can become a condition for their gradual improvement, former UK Ambassador to Moscow (2004-2008) Tony Brenton told a TASS correspondent.

"Current relations are very bad, obviously," the former diplomat said, adding that after the outbreak of hostilities, travel between citizens of the two countries has almost stopped, in many cases friendly ties have been severed, and trade turnover has fallen sharply.

"At the moment we have Russia and the UK, Russia and the West engaged in what amounts to a proxy war in Ukraine. Relations are about as bad as they can be without us actually being at war. But we still keep the embassies open because you need some channel of communication," Brenton said.

"I actually saw your ambassador [Andrey] Kelin a few weeks ago, and I sympathized with him. I had one or two difficulties when I was ambassador to Moscow. And I know that it can be very tough to be an ambassador, when relations are as bad as they are now," the former diplomat pointed out.

"He (Kelin - TASS note) is doing what he can to maintain contacts and keep doors open. But, frankly, you know, Russia and by extension the Russian government and representatives of the Russian government are very unpopular in the UK. It is going to take a while to repair that," Brenton said.