Streeting wants more direct contact with Russia to avoid war 'miscalculation'

Britain would like more channels for talking to Russia, Defence Minister Wes Streeting has said, with military-to-military contact singled out as a way to lower the "risk of miscalculation".

The remarks came in a Financial Times interview published on Tuesday.

"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," Mr Streeting told the FT.

"There is always a risk of miscalculation and that's why having that direct communication is important," he said.

Russian and Ukrainian officials are planning to meet on Tuesday for two days of US-brokered talks, their first since February.

President Donald Trump suggested last week that a broad peace deal was possible in the four-and-a-half-year-old war, a deal which could incorporate Europe's security.

Mr Streeting's comments came ahead of those talks.

Relations between Moscow and most European capitals, including London, have been frozen since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

There has been one break in the ice since the invasion: the foreign ministers of Russia and Germany met in New York in September, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

In the encounter, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Russia to abandon its "dangerous path of escalation" toward Germany, Europe and the Nato alliance, a German delegation official said.

Mr Wadephul expressed openness to a better relationship but said it required a genuine willingness from Russia’s leadership to end the war in Ukraine, according to the official.

Shortly afterwards, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the the General Assembly, defending the war in Ukraine and lobbing barbs at the West, including Germany. He made a point of blasting the notion of Germany or Japan gaining a permanent seat on the powerful UN Security Council.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not travel to a G20 summit in Manchester because of UK sanctions against him.

The UK has a longstanding policy not to have direct, bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion.

Mr Trump has invited Mr Putin to a G20 leaders’ summit at his Miami golf club in December.