Are currently in russia. One russian Tv Channel aired footage claiming to show them leaving the country. The Foreign Office here in london has yet to comment. It follows President Putins warning that russia would consider the use of us and british suppled long range missiles on targets inside russia as a serious escalation of the war in ukraine. The uks Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is due to discuss giving permission when he meets President Biden in washington today. Sir keir said moscow had started the conflict, and could end it by withdrawing its troops from ukraine. Our political editor chris mason, whos travelling with the Prime Minister, sent this report shortly after landing in the us. The Prime Minister arriving here in washington with the foreign secretary, David Lammy Sir Keir Starmer s second visit to the White House in two months. Ukraines allies remain rather guarded in their public remarks about a change in policy on the use of Western Missiles inside russia. But the
He says russia has timed the expulsions to send a message to the uk. Absolutely no doubt, the timing is too coincidental. This is russian punishment for the uk being seen as a cheerleader for supplying weapons to ukraine. And the reasons they gave in their statement are completely trumped up. We are told the russian Spy Agency has documents from a department in the Foreign Office which say that the task of the embassy is ensuring russias strategic defeat against ukraine. Well, surprise, surprise, thats been british declared policy for 2. 5 years. So this is a trumped up story to create pressure on the british government. Our reporter Olga Malchevska has been following the story and checking the sources in russian. How sources in russian. Is the kremlin explaining these how is the kremlin explaining these expulsions to the russian people . These expulsions to the russian eole . These expulsions to the russian Eo Le . ,. , these expulsions to the russian eole . ,. ,. , people . The russi
On thursday, President Putin warned western governments not to let ukraine Target Russia with western arms. We can cross live now to warsaw and speak to our eastern Europe Correspondent Sarah Rainsford. Always good to talk to you. First of all, i wanted your reaction to the news of the expulsion. Reaction to the news of the Emulsion Reaction to the news of the expulsion. Yes, i think it is fair to say expulsion. Yes, i think it is fair to say the expulsion. Yes, i think it is fair to say the timing expulsion. Yes, i think it is fair to say the timing is expulsion. Yes, i think it is fair to say the timing is no | fair to say the timing is no accident. I think this is quite clearly, the timing of the announcement, linked to the talks are taking place. It should be allowed to use long range Western Missiles. I think it is connected as a statement to what we had from the fsb, the Security Service in russia. They say that they remove the accreditation from six british diplomats at the Brit
News of these expulsions . Mat news of these expulsions . Not surprised. News of these expulsions . Not surprised, not news of these expulsions . Iirrt surprised, not really shocked. Sad on the bed. My understanding is from Whitehall Sources is that the expulsions actually took place last month and had more to do with a tit for Tat Retaliation between the uk and russia that has been going on for quite a long time. However, the timing of the announcement has everything to do with sir Keir Starmer s meetings in Washington Today and the apparently looming decision about allowing ukrainians to use british Storm Shadow missiles against actual russian territory as opposed to territory that russia has seized. So it is part of a coordinated russian Media Effort to discourage the uk from taking this step, but i think more importantly to try to discourage other allies from following the us lead or supporting it. And it is part of a very long running Action And Reaction cycle between russia and w