U.S. President Donald Trump has made efforts to persuade his Western allies to change their hostile attitudes toward Moscow and instead establish a greater degree of reconciliation with Russia, but this does not seem to have had any impact on the essence of British foreign policy - which still views Russia with suspicion and concern.

In recent weeks, Britain's positions and decisions have quickly come to light, signaling in multiple directions that its security theory continues to view Russia as its primary enemy. This theory, deeply ingrained over decades, is difficult to reconcile with U.S. President Trump's desire to establish closer ties with Russia.

As part of a new registration system scheduled to take effect this summer, Britain has unhesitatingly reclassified Russia as one of the nations threatening its national security. The system tracks foreign influence in Britain and attempts to limit its impact on public policy. The Home Office has called on all entities with ties to Moscow to disclose this information, or face imprisonment.

Battle at Sea

Tracing Russian activities has also extended to other unconventional conflict fronts. According to reports by The Sunday Times of London, Russia is deploying ocean sensors to monitor and disrupt the movements of British nuclear submarines. These devices were discovered by local fishermen and the Royal Navy in British waters, with some washing up on the Scottish coast.

However, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin told the BBC that these concerns about serious threats to Britain's national security are merely exaggerations by politicians for public consumption, though he did not deny organizing spy activities against British nuclear submarines in British waters.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the British Royal Navy is closely monitoring "Russian spy ships" approaching British territorial waters, accusing them of attempting to map important underwater infrastructure and plan large-scale disruptions to North Atlantic communication cables.

The report also noted that since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the frequency of sabotage of submarine cables in the Baltic and North Seas has been rising, and military officials are trying to develop defensive systems to disrupt Russian intelligence capabilities and accurately locate their positions.

British officials are increasingly concerned that the country's underwater infrastructure may be more vulnerable to potential Russian attacks. Former head of MI6 Alex Young warned days ago that Russia is disrupting underwater energy and communication pipelines, urging Britain to prepare for an impending confrontation with Russia.

Preparation for Confrontation

In this context, former British Defense Ministry official Paul Gibson believes that while Britain's recent actions against Russia can be interpreted as a response to changes in European continental geopolitics, at its core, it is another chapter in the traditional historical animosities between the two sides that has spanned decades, confirming NATO's principle as a firewall against the former Soviet Union since its inception.

He emphasized to Al Jazeera reporters that although Britain needs to strengthen its military capabilities and increase defense spending, it also possesses advanced technological defense capabilities that can mitigate the impact of Russian espionage threats on its interests.

However, this British military expert doubts whether Britain would be able to mobilize sufficient military forces to counteract a Russian army should a military conflict arise. This has raised concerns among military and political officials in the country - who do not rule out the possibility of compulsory conscription, comparing the casualties of the Ukrainian war with the costs that could be incurred in any conflict with Russia.

But as Britain continues to advance in the ranks of European countries supporting Ukraine against Russia, the battles occurring underwater are just echoes of a more intense confrontation that could break out on land at any time.

Britain remains committed to leading the mobilization of military and political support for Ukraine against Russia. Last week, it provided an additional £450 million [1 pound is approximately $1.32] in support. A few weeks ago, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a £2.2 billion loan to provide additional military aid, which will be repaid using frozen Russian assets in London.

In previous weeks, European defense officials have been continuously meeting to discuss the establishment of what Starmer calls a "voluntary alliance." London claims that if any peace agreement is signed between Russia and the United States, this alliance will be crucial to ensuring Ukraine's security.

Firm Beliefs

Trump's pro-Russian bias has prompted some European and British leaders to reaffirm their security principles, listing Russia as the main threat to collective security on the European continent, while refusing to lift sanctions against Moscow.

French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly reiterated that France's security principles are fixed, and he considers Russia to be the main threat to France and Europe's national security.

On the other hand, Musanna Abdullah, a professor of international relations at the University of London, pointed out that both Britons and Europeans feel threatened by the easing of US-Russia relations on their national security, and Trump's attempt to replace hostility with friendship toward Russia explains the harsh rhetoric and decisions against Russia in recent weeks.

He told Al Jazeera that Russia is trying to isolate Britain from its American allies and criticized Britain for providing military and financial support to Ukraine, which has negatively impacted America's efforts to end the war in Ukraine. At this moment, the Trump administration is not hiding its anger toward any international force attempting to disrupt the path toward reconciliation with Russia.

The spokesperson believes that for decades, including Britons, Europeans have been handling relations with Moscow, but there are differences in intensity and assessment. Meanwhile, the current international dynamics and the lack of clarity regarding the end of the Ukrainian war have prompted Britain and Europeans to reach a "necessary agreement," attempting to maintain unity in the face of an increasingly unpredictable American stance.

Source: Al Jazeera

Author: Sarah Ayat Hersa

Original Article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7499641851746484736/

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