UK Foreign Office to summon Russian ambassador, Sky News reports

UK Foreign Office to summon Russian ambassador, Sky News reports

The UK Foreign Office has announced plans to summon the Russian ambassador in response to recent escalations in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. According to Sky News, the move is a direct response to the overnight attacks on Kyiv, which have resulted in significant civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure, including the British Council's Kyiv office.

The British Council has confirmed that its office in Kyiv was severely damaged by the Russian strikes and will remain closed until further notice [1]. The organization stated that while there may be some delays in their responses, their work with Ukrainian partners in education and culture continues.

The UK Foreign Office's decision to summon the Russian ambassador comes amid widespread condemnation of the attacks by European leaders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a firm response to the "horrific" killing of civilians and has proposed sanctions against Russia [2]. The EU leaders have also condemned the attacks, with French President Emmanuel Macron describing them as "terror and barbarism" [2].

The escalating tensions have also led to a review of security guarantees for Ukraine. The Kremlin has rejected the presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian territory as part of European proposals for security guarantees, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that the advancement of NATO military infrastructure in Ukraine was a root cause of the conflict [2]. Meanwhile, the US is reportedly prepared to offer intelligence assets and battlefield oversight as part of post-war security guarantees.

The UK's move to summon the Russian ambassador is a significant diplomatic step that reflects the growing concern over the escalating conflict and the need for a firm response from the international community. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected in the coming days.

References:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/aug/28/ukraine-kyiv-strike-russia-europe-zelenskyy-putin-updates-live-news-latest
[2] https://www.inkl.com/news/ukraine-russia-war-latest-kremlin-rejects-nato-troops-on-the-ground-after-trump-s-security-guarantees-revealed