“Strategic mistake” – the head of the British Ministry declared “serious consequences”
- James Landale
- diplomatic correspondent of the BBC
British Foreign Secretary Liz Trass told Russia about the “severe economic consequences” in the event of an invasion of Ukraine.
She said that the G7 foreign ministers should demonstrate unity during the meetings in Liverpool over the weekend and make it clear that such a move would be a “strategic mistake”.
Ms Trass also said Britain and its allies should “divert Russia from such a course”.
Tensions over the concentration of Russian troops on Ukraine’s border have not eased, although the Kremlin says it has no plans to invade Ukraine.
The leader of the British Union joined the previous, previously stated by the United States, and stated that the G7 should have a “strong position against aggression against Ukraine.”
“That Russia will take this step will be a strategic mistake, and for Russia as a serious consequence,” said Liz Trass. “And this weekend we and our allies must clearly communicate this.”
Asked about the possibility of a military response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ms Trass said Britain was considering “defense and security” with Ukraine.
“We are supportive,” she said. “We are also energy sustainable.”
Security and energy
Ms Trass also said Britain and the EU were working to make Western economies less dependent on Russian energy.
According to her, the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany “will be a problem” in the event of a Russian attack on Ukraine.
And it will also be the case that the British minister is going to discuss with his German counterpart at a meeting of G7 foreign ministers.
“The countries of the free world have made short-term decisions to gain access to cheap energy … However, such steps are detrimental to freedom and democracy in the long run,” said Liz Trass.
“We definitely need to reduce our dependence on Russian gas and other energy sources. This should be part of an overall strategy to reduce non-market economies, hostile players, and ensure the strategic independence of the free world to survive and prosper.”
The day before, the British leader met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Earlier this week, the issue of Ukraine was key during video talks between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As a result of the conversation in the White House, it was reported that President Biden had warned Putin about “economic measures” against Russia and increasing defense assistance to Ukraine in the event of Russian aggression.
At the same time, he argued that Vladimir Putin’s Kyiv was dismantling the Minsk agreements and issued legal guarantees of non-expansion to the East.