Moscow does not consider it necessary to rush with the appointment of new Russian ambassadors to France and Britain. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it may take “some time“ until successors to the current diplomatic representatives are determined.
“Especially considering that, as you can see, against the background of the lack of bilateral relations, there is no real need to rush“, Peskov said in response to a journalist's question. The Kremlin's position is related to Moscow's relations with Paris and London, which, according to the Russian presidency, are practically non-existent in a bilateral plan.
Ambassadors in London and Paris have been dismissed
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Russia's ambassador to Britain Andrei Kelin. He had held the post in London since 2019. A day earlier, Putin signed a decree dismissing the Russian ambassador to France, Alexei Mechkov, who had represented Moscow in Paris since 2017.
So far, no new Russian ambassadors have been appointed to the two countries. France and Britain have been among the main supporters of Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. Since then, their relations with Moscow have deteriorated significantly, which puts the diplomatic appointments in the context of prolonged political tension.
Sources: BTA