British Lawmaker Calls on London to Normalize Relations With Russia

LONDON (Sputnik) — The British Conservative Party lawmaker Daniel Kawczynski called on the UK authorities on Monday to normalize relations with Moscow.

"This afternoon I asked a Defense Question seeking an assurance the Secretary of State for Defense would redouble efforts for some form of normal relations with Russia despite significant differences over Ukraine/Crimea," he told RIA Novosti.

The lawmaker added that a mutual threat to both the United Kingdom and Russia represented by the Islamic State jihadist group (ISIL), also known as Daesh, is of a profound nature and "the time has come to engage in an effective and collaborative way to eliminate this threat at the earliest opportunity."

Kawczynski, the Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury and Atcham in Shropshire, added that the economic sanctions imposed on Russia contradict UK interests.

"In Shropshire we have worked hard to promote bi-lateral trade and it is disappointing that sanctions continue to be in place. A few years ago we managed to convince the Russian authorities to lift the ban on British beef, following numerous visits to Russia and receiving a delegation of Russian agronomists to Shropshire. This would have let to potential sales of $300 million per annum, but sales are now on hold," he stressed.

Relations between Russia and Western states, including the United Kingdom, deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. London along with the United States and their allies accused Moscow of fueling the conflict. Russia has consistently denied the allegations. The United Kingdom is among the countries that imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian crisis.

In response, in August 2014 Russia announced a one-year food embargo on products originating in states that imposed sanctions. The ban has since been extended for another year.