Russia does not see any “preconditions, grounds, or hope” for building more constructive relations with Great Britain in the foreseeable future, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, commenting on the appointment of Rishi Sunak as the UK’s new prime minister.

“No, at present, we do not see any preconditions, grounds or hopes for some positive shifts in the foreseeable future,” the Russian presidential spokesman said, commenting on the prospects of warmer relations between the two countries with the appointment of the UK’s new premier.

Meanwhile, Russia is maintaining its openness and readiness for discussing the most complex issues at the negotiating table but not to the detriment of its national interests, Peskov emphasized.

Sunak was announced as the UK Conservative Party’s new leader on Monday after his two rivals, British ex-PM Boris Johnson and leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt said that they would not run for the post of head of the government. As British media outlets reported, neither Johnson nor Mordaunt appeared to be gaining the required 100 votes of Conservative MPs to get to the next round of the parliamentary voting.

Source: Agencies