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Out of Sight – Out of the EU: What Will the UK’s Withdrawal from the EU Look Like? Expert Discussion

On March 29 the Valdai Discussion Club hosted an expert discussion titled “Out of Sight – Out of the EU: What will the UK’s withdrawal from the EU look like?”

In Great Britain and the European Union, the Brexit issue remains critical. On March 29, UK had been scheduled to quit the EU, but a vote stopped the country from leaving the EU without a comprehensive trade deal in place, and there will be no exit on the initially-set deadline. The failures of the British Parliament have caused great reputational damage to the country's foreign policy and the cabinet of Prime Minister Theresa May in particular.

When exactly Great Britain will quit the European Union is now unknown. Suggested dates include April 12 and May 22. Europe is waiting for the decision of the British Parliament to see if the UK withdraws with or without a trade agreement, and will work with this information in its decision on Brexit’s postponement. The speaker of the British Parliament has banned another vote from transpiring unless effective changes to the agreement are made. All this has caused widespread uncertainty.

What Brexit scenario is going to win? Will there be a hard Brexit or will there be a certain agreement? What will happen to Great Britain and the EU afterwards? What is Russia's attitude towards Brexit and what are the prospects for London-Moscow relations? The participants of the expert discussion will address these and other questions.

 Speakers:

  • Ivan Volodin, Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (via video link);
  • Alexander Kramarenko,  Director of Development, the Russian Council on International Affairs;
  • Malcolm Rifkind, Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary of the United Kingdom (1992-1997) (via video link);
  • Igor Kovalev, Professor of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

Moderator:
  • Oleg Barabanov, programme director of the Valdai Discussion Club.
Working languages: Russian, English.