LONDON (CU)_UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss visited Moscow last week, in order to hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The talks ended in an awkward press conference, with Lavrov questioning the British Foreign Secretary’s understanding of the crisis. Accordingly, Minister Truss defended her decision to meet with her Russian counterpart, insisting she had to deliver a clear message to Moscow.
“Of course, the Russians didn’t like what I had to say but I had to deliver a message to Vladimir Putin’s government,” she said. “I went to Russia to deliver a very clear message, which is that it’s Russia who is the aggressor,” she noted, pointing out that Moscow has deployed 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border, which means there would be a damaging effect on the Russian people and the government if they decide to stage an incursion into Ukraine. “Of course, the Russians didn’t like what I had to say but I say it nevertheless. And I want them to desist and I want them to be aware that there will be severe costs of an invasion,” the Foreign Secretary added.
She made these comments following Minister Lavrov claims that his British counterpart did not listen to Russia’s position on the matter, describing the meeting as a “conversation between deaf and dumb”.
Meanwhile, Downing Street dismissed the fact that a breakthrough was not reached during Truss’ visit to Moscow, saying that “no one was under any illusions about what can be achieved in a single meeting”. “But it’s crucial that we take all these opportunities and continue to put forward this message about how further aggression will be responded to, so Russia can be in no doubt about our position and the position of our NATO allies,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson said.
