UK Defence Secretary urges creation of new communication channels with Moscow to reduce risk of miscalculation

A call for direct communication channels

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has advocated establishing new communication channels between London and Moscow, especially at the level of defence ministries, in order to reduce the “There is always a risk of miscalculation, and that is exactly why direct communication matters”, he said in an interview with the Financial Times published on Tuesday. According to him, the British Embassy in Moscow remains an “important channel,” but he would prefer to have “additional channels, especially at the military-to-military level.”

Attempts to restore contacts and the negotiating context

The Financial Times also reported that London had tried to restore informal communication channels with senior Russian defence officials but had so far been refused. One government official noted that “at present, miscalculation appears to be a greater threat than deliberate escalation.” Streeting's statements came on the day when another round of trilateral peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States, took place in Abu Dhabi. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the trilateral talks held on Tuesday as “highly productive,” noting that diplomatic efforts are aimed at developing durable security mechanisms. Before the trilateral meeting, representatives of the United States, Ukraine and European partners also held discussions and agreed on broader multilateral talks on ending the war.