Two British peers, Lord Balfe and Lord Skidelsky, were among the attendees at a party hosted by the Russian ambassador to the UK at his luxurious residence in west London last month.

The event was held to celebrate the creation of a post-Soviet Russia. Ambassador Andrei Kelin used the occasion to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has sparked international condemnation.

The Sunday Times published an account of the event, including photographs of Kelin addressing the approximately 50-person audience, which consisted of Russian embassy staff, foreign diplomats, and several Britons. Kelin's speech reportedly argued that Russia must address significant security threats in order to develop properly, an apparent reference to the invasion of Ukraine that aimed to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's elected government.

Furthermore, the ambassador accused Britain of making a "big strategic miscalculation" by adopting a confrontational stance towards Moscow. In contrast, the UK, alongside other Western nations, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine, offering military assistance and aid to help restore the country's internationally recognized borders.

Lord Balfe, confirming his attendance, stated that he had a brief conversation with the Russian defense attache at the event. He expressed his belief that a negotiated settlement would eventually be necessary, involving Ukraine ceding some territory to Russia. Balfe characterized Ukraine as a country that was hastily formed by Churchill and Stalin towards the end of World War II and described Crimea as undoubtedly Russian. He also suggested that Moscow had legitimate claims to Donetsk and Luhansk, proposing negotiations for a land corridor to Crimea.

Lord Balfe, a former Labour MEP who switched to the Conservative Party in 2002, has a history of making statements sympathetic to Russia. During the Skripal poisoning crisis in 2018, he echoed Russia's calls for an inspection of the nerve agent used. On the other hand, Lord Skidelsky, an economist and crossbencher who has been associated with various political parties, attended the event to show respect and affection for the Russian people on their national day, despite opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The controversy surrounding the party and its attendees has raised concerns about the British peers' stance on Russia's actions. Lord Skidelsky's previous role as a non-executive director of a Russian oil company, Russneft, between 2016 and 2021, and his letter questioning NATO's expansion into Ukraine following Moscow's invasion have also drawn attention. Photo by Matt Brown from London, England, Wikimedia commons.