The UK defense minister urged London to establish new direct communication
channels with Moscow, including military-to-military lines, to reduce the risk
of miscalculation amid what he described as Moscow’s state-backed terrorism. He
said the UK has fallen behind allies such as France and Germany in politics and
diplomatic engagement, noted the embassy in Moscow remains an important channel,
and called for additional lines of contact. Germany’s foreign minister met with
Lavrov in September — the first meeting at that level since the 2022
Russia-Ukraine war.
