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Boris Johnson tells Russia: we will retaliate against cyber-attacks Boris Johnson tells Russia: we will retaliate against cyber-attacks
(about 9 hours later)
Boris Johnson will deliver a warning to the Kremlin that Britain is ready and able to retaliate in kind if Russia continues to use cyber-attacks to disrupt the west.Boris Johnson will deliver a warning to the Kremlin that Britain is ready and able to retaliate in kind if Russia continues to use cyber-attacks to disrupt the west.
The foreign secretary will tell his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that the UK does not aim to behave in a disruptive way online, but has sufficient capability to deter potential cyber-aggressors.The foreign secretary will tell his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that the UK does not aim to behave in a disruptive way online, but has sufficient capability to deter potential cyber-aggressors.
His comments come weeks after Theresa May used a high-profile speech to accuse the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, of using cyber-espionage and disruption to sow discord in the west and warned Moscow: “We know what you are doing. And you will not succeed.” Johnson is the first UK foreign secretary to visit Russia for five years, after a period in which Moscow’s relations with the west have deteriorated.
GCHQ revealed on Wednesday that Britain has developed sophisticated cyber-weapons capable of crippling a hostile state. Parliament’s intelligence and security committee was told the agency was developing a “full spectrum” of cyberweaponry. Going into talks, Lavrov described UK-Russia relations as at a “low” while Johnson said there were increasing imports of crisps from UK to Russia, as well as 300 Bentleys “though not necessarily to employees of the foreign ministry”.
Johnson is the first UK foreign secretary to visit Russia for five years, after a period in which Moscow’s relations with the west have deteriorated over the illegal annexation of Crimea and alleged use of social media to influence democratic elections. Neither side expects any major breakthrough in the strained bilateral relationship, which has not been repaired since the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. Relations have been further impaired in recent years by Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and allegations of Russian meddling in the politics of western nations.
He will tell Lavrov that his visit does not represent an attempt to return relations to “business as usual”, but he will say he wants the kind of mature dialogue between the two permanent members of the UN security council that will allow them to work together on issues of mutual interest. These include the preservation of the Iranian nuclear deal, pushing forward a political settlement in Syria and countering the threat to global stability from North Korea. His comments on cyber-attacks come weeks after Theresa May used a high-profile speech last month to accuse Vladimir Putin of using cyber-espionage and disruption to sow discord in the west and warned Moscow: “We know what you are doing. And you will not succeed.”
Speaking on the eve of the meeting, Johnson emphasised that Britain had made preparations to respond to continued misuse of cyberspace. “Over the last year or 18 months, we have fully taken on that argument,” he told reporters. “The UK is certainly prepared and able to respond should we so desire. They also follow the revelation on Wednesday that GCHQ has developed sophisticated cyber-weapons capable of crippling a hostile state.
“I can assure you that the UK is a world leader in this field. We don’t conduct malign or disruptive cyberactivity, but the logic of deterrence is clearly something we appreciate in the cyber field. That is something we have acquired and are acquiring.” Such discussions are likely to be met with a frosty response, however, as Russia has denied all allegations of hacking, cyber armies or other forms of meddling. Russian officials have mocked the paucity of the public evidence provided over the allegations that Russian interventions on social media had an effect on the outcome of the EU referendum in Britain.
Johnson said relations between the UK and Russia “haven’t been so bad for a very long time”, adding: “There are areas in which Russia is behaving in a more hostile way towards our interests than at any time since the end of the cold war. I will make clear to Lavrov that there are things that we find extremely difficult to accept, and we can’t accept.” The UK-Russia talks are the third time this year that Johnson has announced a visit to Moscow, but the previous two occasions he cancelled the trip at the last minute. In April, the trip was called off in the aftermath of the Khan Sheikhun chemical attack and subsequent US airstrikes against a Syrian government airbase.
The occupation of a European state’s territory in the Crimea, continuing destabilisation of eastern Ukraine and the western Balkans and attempts to influence democratic processes in the west are all “obstructions in our relationship that can’t be ignored”, he said. Johnson also irritated the Russians with a newspaper interview on the eve of his visit in which he compared the country to Sparta: “closed, nasty, militaristic and antidemocratic”.
But Johnson will say these disagreements should not prevent the two countries cooperating on global issues of shared concern. However, Johnson also wants to engage Russia on a host of international problems for which cooperation or at least coordination with Moscow are key, including issues involving Syria, Iran and North Korea.
In face-to-face talks with Lavrov, he will evoke the second world war alliance between Britain and the Soviet Union as an example of working together despite profound differences. The foreign secretary is hoping to probe Russia regarding its plans for a Syrian national dialogue congress in Sochi in February, the conference’s relationship with the UN process, and the Russian view of the end game in Syria.
Johnson said: “Our relations with Russia cannot be ‘business as usual’ whilst Russia continues to attempt to destabilise European states, including Ukraine. However, it is vital for international security that we do talk to each other, as the consequences of miscommunication or misunderstanding are grave. After declaring their military intervention in Syria victory earlier this month, the Russians are keen to play the leading role in defining the peace, while western nations want to make sure Russia’s efforts do not undermine the UN process.
“My visit to Russia comes at a critical time as we need to work together to solve the world’s most pressing global challenges.” Johnson’s objectives are likely to include probing the possibility of leveraging Russia away from Iran over the future of Syria. Iran is determined to maintain a militia force within Syria, but needs the support of Damascus – and Russia – to do so.
The UK was a firm supporter of the European Union’s decision last week to roll over sanctions on Russia and continues to insist that Moscow must live up to the terms of the Minsk agreement requiring it to cease support for armed separatists. Also on the agenda for Johnson’s visit is the issue of cooperation ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, including consular issues for travelling England fans and security issues. England will play their group games in three provincial Russian cities: Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod and Kaliningrad.
The Russians have welcomed Johnson’s visit but remain wary of the foreign secretary following the cancellation of his two prior scheduled trips, and have warned they will not allow London to cherrypick the topics of discussion.
“Picking and choosing dialogue on issues of interest for Britain, as British officials have been saying in their public statements, is inadequate ... and of little added value to us,” said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry. Zakharova said the visit would be pointless if it was not accompanied by “real steps” aimed at improving bilateral relations.
The UK was a firm supporter of the European Union’s decision last week to roll over sanctions on Russia and continues to insist that Moscow must live up to the terms of the Minsk agreement requiring it to cease support for armed separatists in Ukraine.
Johnson will make clear to Lavrov that the UK would be responsive to a change in stance. “We have a relationship with Russia that spans over 450 years,” he said. “Our similarities and historical links far outweigh our current political disagreements. The Kremlin has positioned Russia in direct opposition to the west, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”Johnson will make clear to Lavrov that the UK would be responsive to a change in stance. “We have a relationship with Russia that spans over 450 years,” he said. “Our similarities and historical links far outweigh our current political disagreements. The Kremlin has positioned Russia in direct opposition to the west, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”
The two men will discuss the safety of thousands of England football fans expected to visit Russia for next year’s World Cup. Preparations for the tournament have included regular visits by UK police to Russia and reciprocal visits by Russian police to the UK.
Amnesty International UK’s head of policy and government affairs, Allan Hogarth, urged Johnson to use the trip to put on record his opposition to Russia’s notorious “gay propaganda” law.
He said: “We’re only months away from the World Cup, and LGBTI fans – from Britain and around the world – will be travelling to a country where homophobia is officially legitimised, and verbal and physical attacks on people because of their perceived sexual orientation are commonplace.”