The UK defence 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 political 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 — th

The UK defence 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 political 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.