Liz Truss 'kicks out' Russian ambassador after 'heated meeting' on Ukraine invasion

Liz Truss 'kicks out' Russian ambassador after 'heated meeting' on Ukraine invasion
24 Liz Truss tore into ambassador Tom Harwo
Aden-Jay Wood

By Aden-Jay Wood


Published: 24/02/2022

- 16:03

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:23

Andrei Kelin lasted five minutes in the Foreign Office

The Russian ambassador was "kicked out" of the Foreign Office by Liz Truss after a “heated meeting” on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ms Truss set up the meeting with Andrei Kelin to discuss Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a "wide-scale invasion" on its neighbours on Thursday morning.


Foreign Secretary Liz Truss walks through ST James's Park, central London, after her comments that there is a %22deal to be done%22 with the European Union over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Following her first meeting with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, held at her official residence at Chevening in Kent, she said they had agreed to hold further talks on January 24. Picture date: Friday January 14, 2022.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss
Aaron Chown/PA

But things got heated between the pair and Kelin was told to leave within five minutes of entering the building.

Despite the incident, GB News reporter Tom Harwood believes a diplomatic expulsion is unlikely.

"The number I heard was five minutes the Russian ambassador was in there", he said on GB News.

"Of course this is not the first time he has been summoned to the Foreign Office, it has happened to a number of times.

"Not only in the last few years, but the last few days.

"It’s becoming a bit of a routine situation.

"However, I feel like there would unlikely be a diplomatic expulsion, that would sever diplomatic relationships with Russia and potentially hamper the communication that we could have as this crisis unfolds."

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