Liz Truss demands Russia ‘stop unprovoked aggression’ as she plans rare trip to Moscow | Politics | News

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, 46, hopes to travel to Moscow for talks with her counterpart at the Kremlin over growing concerns Russian President Vladimir Putin, 69, could invade Ukraine. One Government source told The Times Ms Truss could make the rare trip to the Russian capital as early as next month.

However, the broadsheet also spoke to sources close to the Foreign Secretary who revealed no plans were in place at this current time.

A source close to Ms Truss said: “It would require lots of things to happen first, but Liz is keen on the idea of a visit and would strongly consider it if the timing was right and it helped us meet our objectives.”

If Ms Truss did opt to visit Russia she would be the first Foreign Secretary to make the 1,550mile trip since Boris Johnson, 57, in 2017.

The South West Norfolk MP is thought to want Moscow to “stop its unprovoked aggression” against Kyiv.

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News of Ms Truss’s trip comes as the Kremlin assembles some 100,000 Russian troops on the Ukrainian border.

Such a move has led to increasing concern an invasion attempt could be imminent.

Speaking to the Commons on January 6, Ms Truss provided an update on “what we are doing to tackle Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine”.

She reaffirmed the UK’s support for Ukraine by saying: “Thirty years ago, Britain was one of the first countries to recognise Ukraine’s independence, and today our commitment to Ukraine is unwavering.

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Ms Truss, who took over from 56-year-old Lord David Frost as Brexit Britain’s chief negotiator with the European Union in December, added: “We will not accept the campaign Russia is waging to subvert its democratic neighbours.

“It is accompanied by baseless rhetoric and disinformation.

“The Russians have falsely cast Ukraine as a threat to justify their aggressive stance, and they falsely accuse NATO of provocation.

“This could not be further from the truth. Ukraine’s restraint has been commendable, and NATO has always been a defensive alliance. Russia is the aggressor here.

“It has amassed a huge number of troops along the Ukrainian border and in illegally annexed Crimea.”