Britain and Russia should establish fresh lines of communication, particularly between their military establishments, to reduce the risk of a miscalculation amid rising tensions, UK defence secretary Wes Streeting has said. He warned that Moscow’s alleged state-sponsored terrorism and growing hostile activities against Britain make direct communication increasingly important.In an interview with the Financial Times (FT), Streeting said Britain should have additional channels of contact with Moscow beyond its embassy, including direct military-to-military communication.“We have our embassy in Moscow. That is an important channel . . . I would much prefer there to be additional channels too, particularly military-to-military level,” he told the newspaper.“There is always a risk of miscalculation and that’s why having that direct communication is important.”The remarks come as Britain seeks to restore diplomatic and defence communication with Russia but has so far faced resistance from Moscow. UK officials said London had attempted to reopen backchannels with senior Russian defence officials, but its efforts had been rebuffed.“Right now, it feels that miscalculation is a greater risk than a deliberate move to escalate,” one government figure told the FT.No conversations between a serving British chief of defence staff or defence secretary and their Russian counterparts have taken place since 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
UK lags behind France, Germany in Russia contacts
Britain has fallen behind European allies such as France and Germany in maintaining political and diplomatic contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government.In September, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. It was the first meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.The meeting followed Berlin’s accusations that Russian intelligence had attempted a drone attack at Leipzig airport.France has also taken steps to reopen communication with Moscow. President Emmanuel Macron sent his diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne to meet senior Russian officials in February. Macron had also spoken to Putin in July 2025, ending a three-year gap in direct communication.The Trump administration has maintained even closer high-level contact with Moscow. Trilateral peace talks involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi from Tuesday.
UK accuses Russia of state-sponsored terrorism
Streeting also highlighted the growing threat posed by Russia, saying Britain had witnessed several hostile activities that went beyond conventional military threats.“We have seen over the course of this year numerous examples of what some people call hybrid threats, and I prefer to call state-sponsored terrorism,” he said.Russia has increasingly portrayed Britain as a leading adversary in the West, partly because of London’s prominent role in Nato’s support for Ukraine.In March, Alexander Bortnikov, head of Russia’s domestic intelligence agency FSB, described Britain as the “puppet master of Ukraine’s secret services”.Other incidents have added to tensions. A Russian warship fired warning shots at a British yacht in the Channel this summer. A Russian military aircraft was also accused of flying dangerously close to the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.Moscow has also been linked to alleged arson attacks, interference with undersea cables and cyber attacks.A former British national security official said Moscow’s reluctance to engage with London was also part of its broader strategy.“Part of Russia’s shtick is to say the UK is unimportant and does not warrant engagement, so setting up and managing these channels is part of the mind judo of Anglo-Russian relations,” the former official said.
Streeting warns EU against excluding UK from defence purchases
Separately, Streeting warned that the European Union’s proposed ‘Made in Europe’ rules could weaken Nato by limiting economic cooperation between allies.The rules are intended to strengthen European manufacturers. However, Streeting urged the bloc not to use them to restrict British companies from participating in its defence procurement programmes.He raised the issue during meetings last week with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.“We’ve got to hold true to the strength of our alliance through the economic lens as well as the military lens,” he said, pointing to the impact of the United States’ “America First” protectionist policies.Streeting was speaking ahead of the Atlantic Future Forum conference in Oslo, which is being held aboard HMS Prince of Wales. The conference will examine lessons from the Ukraine war for European security.He also stressed the importance of sovereign capabilities and control over critical technology, particularly artificial intelligence, following concerns over Ukraine’s access to the US-based Starlink satellite network.
UK keeps door open to more military support for Saudi Arabia
Streeting also indicated that Britain could provide further military assistance to Saudi Arabia as it faces attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.Last month, Britain deployed RAF Typhoon fighter jets, a heavy-lift transport aircraft and military advisers to support Riyadh following requests for assistance.“It’s really important that the UK is seen by our friends and allies as a partner that shows up when help is needed . . . We’ll continue to work closely with our friends in Saudi to understand their needs and requirements,” he said.However, he ruled out Britain being drawn into the wider conflict, stressing that a diplomatic solution was necessary.“What we don’t want to do is get dragged into the war,” he said, adding that a “diplomatic resolution” rather than a “military route” was the only way to end the conflict.