In a move signaling heightened tensions between Russia and the West, Reuters reports that Russia has officially withdrawn from a 1956 fishing agreement with Britain. The agreement, originally brokered by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, allowed British vessels access to lucrative fishing grounds in the Barents Sea and along the coast of the Kola Peninsula and Kolguev Island.
The decision to terminate the agreement comes amidst a backdrop of escalating conflict between Russia and the West, particularly following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Western nations have responded with stringent sanctions, which Russia has labeled as "economic war."
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, criticized the 1956 agreement, suggesting that it did not serve Russia's national interests. He emphasized Russia's ability to respond to Western sanctions, highlighting British fishing activities in Russian waters as a point of contention.
The withdrawal from the 1956 accord underscores the deepening divide between Russia and the West, reminiscent of Cold War-era tensions. Reuters draws parallels to historical confrontations such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, highlighting the gravity of the current geopolitical situation.
In a related development, Britain recently imposed sanctions on individuals associated with the Arctic penal colony where Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died. This move further exacerbates diplomatic strains between the two nations