UK's relations with Russia inquiry launched

3 December 2015

The Foreign Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into the FCO's policy towards Russia and the broader UK-Russian bilateral relationship.

Terms of reference

The Committee would welcome written submissions which address the following issues and their implications for future UK policy towards Russia:

the current state of UK-Russia bilateral relations, and the FCO's recent record in managing this relationship
Russia's increasingly assertive foreign policy, including in:
- Russia's self-defined "near abroad", including Ukraine
- the rest of the world, including the Middle East
and whether the UK Government is responding appropriately and effectively to Russian actions and aspirations
the future prospects for UK-Russia relations and potential consequences for international relations and security, and the scope for cooperation in areas of shared interests
whether the FCO has the necessary expertise and understanding of Russia's internal politics, external relations and policy responses to inform effective UK policy-making and strategic planning
the current state of UK-Russia economic relations and the extent to which they help shape the bilateral relationship
the role of UK cultural institutions, including the BBC World Service and the British Council, in the UK-Russia relationship
the human rights situation in Russia and the extent to which this impacts, or should impact, on Russia's bilateral relationship with the UK

Written submissions are invited and should be received by the Committee no later than Friday 29 January 2016.

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