Russia: Foreign Relations

(asked on 30th September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Prime Minister last spoke to the President of Russia; whether he raised with the government of Russia (1) the attempted assassination of Alexei Navalny and (2) the crisis in Belarus; and if so, (a) when, and (b) with whom.


Answered by
Baroness Sugg Portrait
Baroness Sugg
This question was answered on 8th October 2020

The Prime Minister last spoke by telephone to President Putin of the Russian Federation on 8 May 2020 when they discussed the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the importance of global cooperation on COVID-19. The UK Government will continue to raise our serious concerns about the poisoning of Mr Navalny and the current situation in Belarus with the Russian Government. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary also raised these issues in a letter to Foreign Minister Lavrov on 25 September 2020. On 23 September 2020, the Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas raised these issues in a telephone call with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Titov. On 7 September, the FCDO summoned the Russian Ambassador to the UK to express our grave concern about Mr Navalny's poisoning. In addition, the British Embassy in Moscow will continue to raise these issues, including at Ambassadorial level with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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