UK ready to restore ties with Kremlin, but there’s a catch
Photo: Britain warns of Russian provocations against Europe (Getty Images)
The UK is seeking to resume direct dialogue with Russia's military leadership in order to avoid incidents that could escalate into direct combat confrontation, according to The Times.
Why London suddenly raised the issue of dialogue
The idea of re-establishing contact with the Russian military did not emerge in London out of nowhere. In June, an incident occurred in the English Channel: the Russian frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" opened fire when a British yacht came too close.
It was after this that British officials and diplomats began warning of the risks — without a direct communication channel, any similar misunderstanding at sea could theoretically escalate into something far more serious than a local incident.
A British government spokesperson confirmed to The Times that London is indeed interested in reopening military communication channels with Moscow. According to her, the embassy in the Russian capital exists precisely for that purpose — to convey Britain's position to the Kremlin directly and clearly, which helps protect its own interests and maintain control over the situation without allowing it to escalate.
How many years the sides were silent
The direct line of communication between the two countries' militaries has been inactive for nearly four years. The last high-level contact was between Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and his then British counterpart, Admiral Tony Radakin — in September 2022.
A later contact between defense ministers took place in October of that year, when Sergei Shoigu called British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, expressing concern over possible Ukrainian provocations involving a dirty bomb. After that, dialogue ceased entirely. Relations worsened further in 2024, when Britain expelled the Russian military attaché, and Moscow reciprocated.
British Ambassador Neil Crompton stated that Russia has been testing the waters for years, staging aerial provocations against Poland, Romania, and the Baltic states — and under certain scenarios, NATO would be forced to respond with force. He also responded to Zaluzhnyi's (Ukraine's ambassador to the UK) statement on Ukraine's NATO membership, saying that London would like to see Ukraine in the Alliance, though there is currently no consensus among members.
