The UK has made its first direct contact with Russia at a ministerial level since the invasion of Ukraine began in the early hours of Thursday.
Foreign Office minister James Cleverly spoke by phone with his opposite number in Moscow to condemn the “unprovoked and unjustified” attack.
Mr Cleverly told deputy foreign minister Vladimir Titov that the assault on Ukraine was an “appalling” violation of the charter of the United Nations, to which Russia is a signatory.
The meeting comes after foreign secretary Liz Truss gave a dressing-down on Thursday to Russia’s ambassador to London Andrei Kelin.
Ms Truss told the ambassador that the invasion had made his country “an international pariah” and kicked him out of the meeting after he repeated the Kremlin’s justifications for the act of aggression.
Following Friday’s call, Mr Cleverly said: “Today I spoke with Russian deputy foreign minister Titov.
“I condemned Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine and urged him to ensure Russian troops are withdrawn immediately and unconditionally.
“Russia’s invasion is an appalling violation of the UN Charter.
Mr Cleverly earlier summoned the ambassador of Moscow ally Belarus to tell him that his country should cease its support for Russia’s “illegal and unprovoked” offensive in Ukraine.
A Foreign Office statement added: “Belarus needs to desist from its support to Russia and respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in line with its international obligations.”
