After Brexit, Russia will strive to conclude a new comprehensive trade agreement with Britain, and the creation of a free trade zone in the future it is not ruled out, although this would require a “very bold, new position” from London, Andrei Kelin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to the United Kingdom said during the expert discussion, titled “Life After Brexit: What Will Be the Separate Future of the United Kingdom and the EU?”, which took place at the Valdai Club on January 31.
According to Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club, the situation is “wide, contradictory and rather alarming”, despite the festive mood prevailing in London.
The participants in the discussion agreed that after Brexit the UK will have to reconsider its trade relations with the EU, where their positions differ, and it should be ready for economic stagnation or decline after a short recovery, and also to look for new allies. The possible candidates include the United States, China, Russia and the Latin American countries. In general, this will be determined during the transition period, which will last from February-March until October 2020.
The speakers also included Alexander Kramarenko, RIAC member, SVOP member, minister counsellor (in the rank of Ambassador) of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the United Kingdom (2011-2017), and Glenn Diesen, Professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, Higher School of Economics.