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The Foreign Secretary will say the only way forward is for
Russia to deescalate and pursue a diplomatic pathway
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She will make clear that the Kremlin’s current strategy is
damaging Russian standing and interests
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The Foreign Secretary will also assert the right of Ukraine
to self-determination and urge Russia to abide by the
international agreements it has already signed up to
will fly to Moscow today to urge the Kremlin to
de-escalate and desist its aggression against Ukraine.
The visit is the first by a UK Foreign Secretary in more than
four years. During the two-day trip, the Foreign Secretary will
meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to make clear that
the only way forward is for Russia to cease its aggression and
engage in meaningful talks.
She will push for Russia to abide by the international agreements
it has already signed up to - including the OSCE Helsinki Final
Act, Minsk Protocols, and the Budapest memorandum, which ensures
the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine is respected.
The UK is spearheading ongoing diplomatic and deterrence efforts
– last week the Prime Minister visited Kyiv, and yesterday he
hosted the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Ingrida Šimonytė, and
spoke to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte about the situation in
Eastern Europe. The Foreign Secretary has also spoken to NATO
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Ukrainian Foreign Minister
Dmytro Kuleba, and Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra about
the situation on Ukraine’s border in recent days.
Foreign Secretary said:
The UK is determined to stand up for freedom and democracy in
Ukraine. I’m visiting Moscow to urge Russia to pursue a
diplomatic solution and make clear that another Russian invasion
of a sovereign state would bring massive consequences for all
involved.
Russia should be in no doubt about the strength of our response.
We have said many times that any further invasion would incur
severe costs, including through a coordinated package of
sanctions.
Russia has a choice here. We strongly encourage them to engage,
de-escalate and choose the path of diplomacy.
This visit follows the announcement last week of legislation for
the UK’s strongest ever sanctions regime against Russia. The new
approach gives the UK unprecedented power to sanction a much
broader range of individuals and businesses linked to Russia’s
strategic interests, leaving those closest to the Kremlin with
nowhere to hide.
While in Moscow, the Foreign Secretary will also visit Moscow
State University, where she will see first-hand how physics and
math lessons are building a generation of future science leaders
– a shared interest between Russia and the UK.
