Britain’s defense chief wants military-to-military communication with Russia alongside diplomatic channels, arguing that direct contact could lower the risk of a miscalculation between the two countries.
During a Financial Times interview published Tuesday, UK Secretary of State for Defence Wes Streeting said the embassy in Moscow remains an important channel. He said Britain should add other forms of contact, particularly communication between the two militaries. The remarks build on his earlier call for more direct military contact with Russia.
“There is always a risk of miscalculation,” Streeting said.
The Financial Times reported that previous British efforts to reopen communication with senior Russian defense officials had not succeeded. The newspaper also reported that no serving UK defense secretary or chief of defense staff had spoken with a Russian counterpart since 2022.
The proposed contact comes alongside the UK’s public security assessment. In a joint statement on Oct. 26, the UK Ministry of Defence and defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy and Poland described Russia as the “most acute and long-term threat” to Euro-Atlantic security and stability.
Anadolu Agency reported that the United States, Russia and Ukraine took part in a new round of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
