Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of sanctions imposed by the United States and the EU, in response to the 2014 occupation and annexation of Crimea, on relations between Russia and the UK.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Sanctions imposed alongside our international partners, including the US, in 2014 have had a coordinated impact on Russia by increasing economic pressure to change its Ukraine policy and sending a clear, united message that Russian aggression in Ukraine will not be tolerated. This impact has been strengthened by the continuation and maintenance of 2014 sanctions since their implementation. The current bilateral relationship is not the one the UK wants and we remain open to a different relationship with Russia - one where Russia desists from attacks that undermine international security and actions that undermine the territorial integrity of its neighbours.
Asked by: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they plan to issue to (1) businesses, and (2) political leaders, about attending the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The attendance and participation of UK companies at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is entirely a matter for them. We continue to offer advice to UK businesses operating in Russia and support legitimate sanctions-compliant trade and investment. In line with government guidance, there will be no ministerial representation.