UK seeks military talks with Russia, says Moscow rebuffed earlier bids - report

UK officials are seeking direct military-to-military communication with Russia to mitigate the risk of miscalculation, according to Defence Secretary Wes Streeting. The diplomat stated that London had previously been denied such contact with Moscow and currently lags behind France and Germany in engagement with the Russian government. The UK embassy in Russia serves as an important communication channel, but Streeting expressed a preference for additional direct lines of contact at a military level.

Previous attempts to establish backchannels between senior defence officials in Moscow have reportedly been rebuffed by British officials. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there have been no conversations between a serving British chief of defence staff or defence secretary and their Russian counterparts. In contrast, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in September, the first such meeting at that level since the invasion, while French President Emmanuel Macron sent his diplomatic adviser to meet with Kremlin officials in February.

The UK has witnessed various hybrid threats this year, which Streeting prefers to refer to as "state-sponsored terrorism." These threats include a Russian warship firing warning shots at a British yacht in the Channel and a Russian plane flying dangerously close to the HMS Prince of Wales. A government official cited in the report noted that the risk of miscalculation appears greater than deliberate escalation at the moment.

Streeting also cautioned the European Union against using its "Made in Europe" rules to restrict British companies' participation in weapons purchases within the EU. He shared this concern with the EU's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius during recent meetings. Streeting argued that these rules could weaken NATO by undermining economic cooperation.

Earlier this month, Britain deployed RAF Typhoon fighter jets, a heavy-lift transport aircraft, and military advisers to support Saudi Arabia in response to requests from the kingdom. However, Streeting emphasized that while additional support is possible, the UK does not wish to be drawn into the conflict and believes a diplomatic resolution is the only viable path to ending the conflict in Yemen.