Britain should cooperate with Russia, and refusal to cooperate with the government cannot be called a viable option of foreign policy, as Russia is a state with nuclear weapons and a member of the UN security Council. This is stated in the report of the international Committee of the house of Commons of the British Parliament.
As noted, the UK can work with the government of Russia, but without having to make concessions in the sphere of morality and legality, to sacrifice their values and standards. The Committee recommended to allocate the analysis of relations with Russia even more resources in the Ministry of foreign Affairs and to consider the appointment of officials at the Ministerial level, responsible for relations with the Russian Federation.
Russia’s actions in Ukraine and in Syria, parliamentarians called the most pressing foreign policy challenges in relations between Moscow and London. “Ukraine should choose their own future. Britain and its allies need to support Ukraine in the development of resistance to the encroachment on it by Russia and the construction of social, political and physical infrastructure that will further cooperation with the West will allow Ukraine to cooperate with Russia on a more level playing field” — the document says.
The Committee recognized that it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a unified Western position on sanctions in connection with Ukraine. But restrictive measures against certain persons, believed to be in London, will be able more effectively to prosecute those officials in Russia who is named responsible for abuses, particularly violations of human rights.
In Syria, the government has the right to hold accountable the Russian military for actions that can be qualified as a violation of international humanitarian law, the report said.
According to deputies, the British and the Russians “healthy cultural relations”, despite the ongoing political difficulties. In this regard, the government should not be limited to the issue of relations with the Russian leadership and to appeal to its people through mechanisms such as educational exchanges and support of small business in sectors not affected by sanctions. Strategy of interaction between people and building bridges with a new generation of Russian political and economic leaders could form the basis for the improvement of relations between Russia and the UK in the future, conclude MPs.