Among the main European countries, the government of the United Kingdom is undoubtedly the state which most consistently takes a very aggressive stance on Russia and the danger it poses to its neighbour, Ukraine. The day after a meeting in Geneva between Moscow and Washington on the Ukrainian file and the extension of NATO, the latest statements by the government in London are fully in line with this logic.
→ EXPLANATION. Tensions in Ukraine: Moscow expects a “written response” next week
The British Foreign Office said on Saturday January 22 that it had evidence of a plan to install a pro-Moscow government in Kiev. Giving very few details to support this supposed plot, London mentioned in its press release the names of former officials of President Viktor Yanukovych, the leader overthrown in 2014 during the “Maidan revolution” and who found refuge in Russia.
Statements greeted with skepticism
British diplomacy cites Sergueï Arbouzov (ex-interim prime minister), Andriï Kluïev (who headed the presidential administration), Volodymyr Sivkovytch (the former deputy secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council) or even Mykola Azarov (first Minister of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014). “Some of them are in contact with Russian intelligence agents currently involved in planning an attack on Ukraine”, accuses the ministry.
→ ANALYSIS. Tensions in Ukraine: Moscow expects a “written response” next week
In Ukraine, these statements were initially greeted with skepticism. The four men named in the British press release have lived in Russia since Yanukovych’s fall from power, and their relationship with the Russian authorities is no secret. On the other hand, their return to power seems most improbable, except to impose by force a change of regime in Kiev.
The fifth man named by London as having to lead the country in the context of a possible “Russian occupation”, former MP Yevgen Muraiev, 45, says he is banned from Russia, where his family’s assets have been confiscated in 2018.
On Sunday, the latter nevertheless affirmed via social networks that his country needed “new political leaders”. “The time of pro-Western and pro-Russian politicians is over”, he launched, adding: “Stop dividing us into pro-Russians and pro-Westerns. » In Kiev, a senior official indicated, for his part, that the power would continue “the dismantling of any oligarchic and political structure that could work towards the destabilization of Ukraine or be complicit with the occupiers”.
Virtually dead political relations
These statements by the United Kingdom come at a time of high tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine. The Russians, who have massed troops in the north and east of Ukrainian territory, want to obtain American guarantees on the halting of NATO enlargement and the departure of American troops in several Eastern European countries ( Baltic States, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria) in exchange for de-escalation.
The Americans promised to respond in writing to this ultimatum during the last week of January. In recent days, the United Kingdom and the three Baltic states have delivered military equipment to Ukraine, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. On Sunday January 23, Pope Francis announced his “concern” about the tensions over Ukraine.
German diplomacy torn between Kiev and Moscow
The incisive words of British diplomacy come just hours after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu agreed to a meeting with his British counterpart, Ben Wallace. This is the first meeting at this level since 2013. The two countries have had difficult relations for a decade, despite the presence of many Russian oligarchs in the London capital. London notably accuses Moscow of being at the origin of a series of poisonings carried out by Russian agents, including that against former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter which occurred in 2018 in Salisbury.
The UK government’s recent strategic defense review presents Russia as a major threat to the UK. Political relations between London and Moscow are “virtually dead”, assured the Russian ambassador in London in 2021.