"We reconstituted the group recently and I am honoured to have been elected Chairman. The Group’s purpose is to foster better and closer relations between Great Britain and the Russian Federation, which is no easy task," Sir Edward Leigh told RIA Novosti.
"There are several areas where I believe Britain and Russia have mutual interests, such as Syria, but the Government, or even other members of the Group, don’t always agree," he added.
According to the group chairman, Russia's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Alexander Yakovenko had invited 20 lawmakers for a lunch in his residence the following week. Leigh expressed hope that such meeting would be a great chance to consult on bilateral issues.
The relations between Russia and the United Kingdom, among other Western states, deteriorated in 2014 over accusations that Moscow had been meddling in the Ukrainian crisis. Russia has denied the allegations and contributed to the efforts of the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Yakovenko said in October that London had almost completely suspended political dialogue with Moscow in light of Russia’s stance on the Syrian civil war and the Ukrainian crisis.
