Russia says military-to-military contacts with Britain are possible if London reaches out

Russia's Defence Ministry would be ​willing to speak with ​its British counterpart if ‌London reached out, ​Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday. Zakharova was commenting ‌on remarks by British Defence Minister Wes Streeting, who said Britain would prefer to have additional channels of communication with Moscow, particularly at a military-to-military ‌level, to reduce the risk of miscalculation.

"I can confidently recommend that ‌the British Defence Secretary contact the Russian Ministry of Defence. They'll pick up the phone and have a conversation," Zakharova told a press briefing. Relations between Britain and Russia ⁠are ​at at a ⁠low ebb due to the war in Ukraine with London emerging as one of ⁠Ukraine's staunchest allies and most pro-active Western voices when it comes to new ​sanctions and pressure on Moscow.

Streeting said in a Financial Times ⁠interview published on Tuesday that Britain's embassy in Moscow was still operational, but that he ⁠wanted ​more communications channels. Zakharova on Wednesday blamed Britain for shutting down its communications channels with Russia in 2024 when she said ⁠London had expelled Russia's military attache at its embassy under a false pretext, something ⁠she said ⁠smacked of incompetence. London accused the diplomat it expelled at the time of being an undeclared military intelligence ‌officer.