Johnson Laid out Conditions to Putin on Relations Normalization

A thaw in relations between London and Moscow is only possible after Russia stops destabilizing actions, Johnson stated to Putin in Berlin. Relations between Russia and the UK will not improve until Moscow ceases its "destabilizing activities," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, January 19, in the Berlin international conference on Libya margins. "The Prime Minister said there will be no normalization of our bilateral relationship until Russia ends the destabilizing activity that threatens the UK and our allies and undermines the safety of our citizens and our collective security," the British government media relation officer reported. The main topics of the Johnson and Putin meeting in Berlin were security issues in Libya, Syria, Iraq and Iran, was added. London is unshakable in the Skripal affair Commenting on the UK line after the former double agent Sergei Skripal poisoning in Salisbury in March 2018, the representative of the British government emphasized that the policy remains the same. "He (Boris Johnson. - Ed.) Made clear (to Vladimir Putin. - Ed.) That the position of the United Kingdom on Salisbury on chemical weapons irresponsible use and on the blatant attempt to kill innocent people on British soil, will remain unchanged." - stressed the representative of the British government. According to her, Johnson indicated to the Russian leader that such actions should not be repeated. The case of Sergei Skripal poisoning The former Russian intelligence officer convicted of spying for the UK Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were hospitalized with severe poisoning on March 4, 2018, in the city of Salisbury.,. The former colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (MID), convicted in Russia for British intelligence spying, was sentenced in 2006 to 13 years of prison. In 2010, as part of a vast spies’ exchange between the United States and Russia, he received asylum in the UK.   It turned out that Skripal was poisoned by the “Novichok” a class of military nerve agent. One of poison developers the Russian chemist living in the United States, Vil Mirzayanov, stated that only Moscow could stand behind the attack on former MID colonel Sergei Skripal and his daughter. London accused Moscow of using chemical weapons in the kingdom and expelled 23 Russian diplomats. Great Britain was supported by the USA, NATO, Germany, France, and the European Union. The Kremlin rejects the involvement of Russian special services in the poisoning.