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Russia has added 21 British parliamentarians to its list of United Kingdom nationals banned from entering the country.
This reflects the dire state of relations between the country and the United Kingdom.
The new list, as the Guardian UK reports, contains make up the extensive lists of foreign officials, business figures, journalists and others who are barred from entering Russian territory.
They are mostly from countries officially designated as “unfriendly” to Vladimir Putin’s administration and the country.
Russia, in a statement by its Foreign Ministry, said the designated lawmakers had made “hostile statements and unfounded accusations” against Moscow.
Six members of the House of Lords along with 15 members of parliament from the governing Labour party, the centrist Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist party, made the list.
Meanwhile, a planned meeting Wednesday, between top US, British, French and Ukrainian diplomats to push forward a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine was scrapped at the last minute.
US vice president, JD Vance later said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and 10 other senior politicians mostly members of the Cabinet have already been barred. Theresa May, the former prime minister, was also on the initial list.
“Taking into account London’s bet on the consistent strengthening of anti-Russian sanctions, work on countermeasures, including the expansion of the Russian ‘stop list,’ will continue,” it added.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions shortly after the list was published, Boris Johnson said those on the list “should regard it as a badge of honour”.
He vowed that the UK “keep up our robust and principled support for the Ukrainian people and their right to protect their lives, their families, and to defend themselves”.
Chris Bryant, the senior Labour MP and prominent critic of the Putin regime, told the Commons he was “absolutely distressed that I am not on the list and if I am honest slightly surprised”.
