British Minister of Foreign affairs Boris Johnson has dramatically canceled his visit to Russia hours before take-off, that was scheduled this Monday because of the events in Syria, which are completely changing the situation. The news was announced on Saturday, a move that a Moscow official called "absurd". He planned to travel to Russia on Monday on a visit that is aimed to start a new dialogue with the Russian government.
This is not the first time that Boris Johnson has canceled the visit that would make him the first Foreign Secretary to visit Russia for over half a decade.
Johnson's priority now is to continue contact with the US
"My priority is to continue contacts with the United States and others in preparation for the meeting of (group) G7 in April in order to give international support to strengthen the ceasefire and political process," the statement said.
Johnson added that he discussed it with US counterpart Rex Tillerson who will "travel to Moscow as planned, and after the meeting of G7 will be able to convey a clear message to the Russians."
Maria Zakharova has called Johson's move 'absurd'
A spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova has called Johson's move "absurd." "We regret that the West does not have the stability and coherence in foreign policy," she said.
London supported the US attack cruise missiles against the Syrian military base of Al-Šajrat in response to a chemical attack on the Han Šejkun, which the West considers the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to be responsible for. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev believes the American attack was a "complete violation of international law" and a "step up to military conflict" with Russia.
A former head of the British Army Richard Dannatt said for The Independent that the American missile attacks versus the Assad regime could give an opportunity for Russia to push towards a negotiated peace in Syria.He added that diplomacy is better every single time when it is backed up by power.