Russia ratcheted up tensions with the West on Monday by summoning the British and French ambassadors to Moscow in response to recent statements regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The move comes after British Foreign Secretary David Cameron reportedly said Ukraine had the “right” to strike back at Russia using weapons supplied by the UK. Russia views these remarks as a “serious escalation” and a sign of “increasing British involvement” in the war.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Nigel Casey was warned that any attack on Russian territory with British-supplied weapons could lead to retaliation against British military installations “in Ukraine and beyond.” The ministry also urged the UK to disavow Cameron’s “provocative” statements.
France also faced Moscow’s ire. Ambassador Pierre Levy was summoned over “increasingly bellicose statements by the French leadership” and “growing French involvement” in the conflict. Russia condemned these actions as “destructive” and “provocative,” further inflaming tensions.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly left open the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine under certain circumstances.
