Russia ready to work with any successor of Theresa May - ambassador in London
LONDON. May 24 (Interfax) - Moscow is ready to work with both incumbent British Prime Minister Theresa May and any successor of hers, Russian Ambassador in London Alexander Yakovenko said.
"Despite that May herself made considerable personal contribution to the current deterioration of Russian-British relations, Russia is ready to work with both incumbent head of the government until her resignation and any politician, who will subsequently become the head of the government as a result of the procedures established here," the ambassador said in his answers to media questions posted on the Russian diplomatic mission's website.
"The prime minister's announced resignation and the selection of her successor is the United Kingdom's internal affair," Yakovenko said.
The uncertain situation surrounding Brexit has a negative impact on economic relations between Russia and the United Kingdom, however cooperation between the systematically important corporations is continuing, the diplomat said.
"The government and the parliament's inability to adopt decisions on the conditions of the withdrawal from the European Union prolongs the feeling of uncertainty, which, as far as we can tell, has an especially negative impact on the economic activity. It concerns Russian-British economic relations as well," Yakovenko said.
"Although cooperation at the level of the systematically important cooperation is continuing and is not facing serious risks, the establishment of new commercial and investment ties, especially at the level of medium- and small-sized businesses, has been significantly hindered by the lack of clarity in the conditions of the UK's trade with the rest of the world after Brexit," the ambassador said.
May said earlier on Friday she will resign as the Conservative Party leader on June 7 but will remain prime minister until the process of handing over power is completed. The election of a new Conservative leader will take place in the UK and this person will become the prime minister.
The UK earlier managed to postpone Brexit to October 31. In this period, the country must ratify the agreement on its withdrawal from the EU, otherwise it would leave the EU without the deal with Brussels.