LONDON ā British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended meeting a Russian oligarch with a KGB past, saying āas far as I am awareā no government business was discussed at the 2018 get-together.
Johnson, who quit as Conservative Party leader July 7 after months of ethics scandals, is facing questions about his relationship with Russia-born newspaper owner Evgeny Lebedev and his father, Alexander. The older man is a businessman and former Cold War-era KGB officer who has been sanctioned by Canada for his alleged role in enabling Russiaās invasion of Ukraine.
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In April 2018, Johnson went to a party at Evgeny Lebedevās Italian mansion that was also attended by Alexander Lebedev. Johnson, who was British foreign secretary at the time, was not accompanied by any officials.
The event was held as Johnson returned from a NATO meeting, and weeks after former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok in the English city of Salisbury. A police officer and two local people were also sickened, one of whom, Dawn Sturgess, later died.
Britain blames Russiaās GRU security service for the Salisbury attack, a charge Moscow denies.
Johnson told a committee of senior lawmakers that his meeting with Alexander Lebedev āwas not a formal meeting, nor something that was pre-arranged.ā He said it was normal for Britainās top diplomat to attend a āprivate, social occasionā without officials or security staff.
He said in a letter published Tuesday by Parliamentās Liaison Committee that āas far as I am aware, no government business was discussedā at the party.
Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the opposition Labour Party, said Johnsonās āmealy-mouthed statement raises more questions than it answers.ā
She said Johnson āapparently still cannot recall whether he discussed government business or not. This letter suggests the Prime Minister has something to hide.ā
Evgeny Lebedev owns Britainās Evening Standard and Independent newspapers. In 2020 was given a noble title ā Lord Lebedev of Siberia ā and a seat in Parliamentās House of Lords by Johnsonās government. British media have reported that U.K. intelligence agencies had expressed concerns about the appointment.
Since Russiaās invasion of Ukraine in February, Johnsonās government has sanctioned hundreds of wealthy Russians and moved to clamp down on money laundering through Londonās property and financial markets.
Opposition politicians and anti-corruption campaigners say Johnsonās Conservatives have allowed ill-gotten money to slosh into U.K. properties, banks and businesses for years, turning London into a ālaundromatā for dirty cash.