Podcast Summary:

The Interview – Nigel Casey, UK Ambassador to Russia: No Communication Is Extremely Dangerous
Host: Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia Editor
Guest: Nigel Casey, UK Ambassador to the Russian Federation
Date: January 7, 2026

Overview – Main Theme & Purpose

This episode features a candid and insightful conversation with Nigel Casey, the UK's ambassador to Russia, recorded at the ambassadorial residence opposite the Kremlin in Moscow. The episode explores what it's like to navigate one of the world’s tensest diplomatic posts at a time of sharply deteriorated UK–Russia relations following the invasion of Ukraine. Key themes include the daily realities of diplomatic life under scrutiny, the importance of maintaining even minimal lines of engagement, the shifting barriers between Russian society and the West, and insights on Russian leadership and propaganda.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Role and Relevance of Diplomacy (01:50, 14:12)

• Demand for Embassy Analysis: Casey notes an unprecedented demand for credible analysis on Russian decision-making since the Soviet Union’s collapse.
  • Quote (14:12):
    “There’s never been a great demand for analysis, information, understanding of Russia, what drives Russian decision making, what we can expect from this country’s leadership.” — Nigel Casey
• Communication as a Lifeline:
  • Direct embassy contacts are now often the "main remaining thread" connecting the UK and Russian governments. Complete isolation, Casey warns, would be “extremely dangerous.”
  • Quote (14:40):
    “It would be extremely dangerous if we didn’t have at least this limited ability to communicate with each other.”

Day-to-Day Diplomatic Challenges (03:00, 04:38, 07:24)

• Casey describes his role as both "consequential" and “strangely privileged” given the current climate. Every day, the embassy is accused in Russian state media of outlandish schemes, tapping into longstanding rivalry.
  • Quote (03:00):
    “We are every single day, as you know, accused of increasingly outlandish plans and plots by various bits of the Russian state.”
• Contacts are shrinking: Russians—especially in academia, think tanks, and beyond—have been formally warned about engaging with UK diplomats and must report such meetings.
  • Quote (04:38):
    “People are literally scared of meeting us... the number of people who are willing to meet me has shrunk.”
• Surveillance and Harassment: British diplomats assume they are constantly followed and monitored—something true before, but now intensified. Occasional overt harassment happens, such as staged demonstrations outside embassy events.
  • Quote (07:24):
    “We assume that by one means or another, people are following our movements and who we’re talking to and what we’re up to... some of it tips into overt harassment.”

Barriers in Society – A “New Iron Curtain”? (09:12)

• Casey refers to what feels like a “conscious and deliberate... effort by the Russian state to reduce contact between Russians and the West,” including more internet controls, less physical engagement, and deliberate intimidation.
  • Quote (09:12):
    “I think there is definitely a conscious and deliberate and systematic effort... to reduce contact between Russians and the West. ...Is it a total wall? No, thankfully not.”
• He sees his presence in Russia as a signal that the UK wishes for future relations—conditional on a change in Russian behaviour.

Challenges of the Job (10:18, 13:03)

• Not categorized as a conflict zone, but in terms of government-host relations, Moscow is probably the toughest.
  • “It’s certainly the most challenging job I’ve done in my career. ...It wasn’t even easy, you know, 20 years ago, in better days.”
• Hardest Aspect: Staff safety and morale
  • Quote (13:03):
    “The hardest thing for me is worrying about the pressures on my staff. ...They not only get followed around, sometimes they will be harassed... they might be separated from their families and feeling quite isolated.”

Importance of Staying in Russia (14:00)

• Casey rebuts calls for complete withdrawal, arguing that cutting diplomatic ties would be dangerously counterproductive—for both mutual understanding and the security of Europe.
  • Quote (14:40):
    “The embassies in our two countries really are the main remaining thread on which our relationship hangs. And I think it would be extremely dangerous if we didn’t have at least this limited ability to communicate with each other.”
• He stresses that the UK has not ignored Russia, but remains engaged due to the country’s size, newsworthiness, and direct security interests.

The “Parallel Universe” of Propaganda (16:37)

• Russian information space is likened to a parallel reality. Exposure to 24/7 propaganda leads even foreigners to begin questioning their sense of truth, necessitating regular trips outside Russia to “reset.”
  • Quote (16:37):
    “You do live in a parallel universe of Russian propaganda here. ...After you’ve been here a while, it’s very, very hard to ignore this tidal wave of untruth... it starts to seep in.”
• Literary reference: Lewis Carroll’s 1867 Russia visit is discussed as possible inspiration for “Through the Looking Glass,” reflecting the enduring sense of encountering a “false mirror.”

Personal Reflections on Russia and its Culture (18:53)

• Despite challenges, Casey continues to enjoy Moscow’s rich cultural life, including theatre, film, and music. His background in history and the depth of Russia’s historical fabric are personal motivators to stay engaged.

Understanding Putin (19:53, 20:28)

• Interpreting the Russian leader’s intentions is a “key question” for diplomats and journalists alike.
• Putin’s worldview is laid out “hiding in plain sight” in his public speeches, especially those from Munich in 2007 and June 2024.
  • Quote (20:28):
    “A lot of it is there, hiding in plain sight. I would always recommend to people reading Vladimir Putin’s speeches in his public addresses, some of the particularly seminal ones... there is a consistency about President Putin’s view of the world and his objectives which I think you can trace back...”
• The closed nature of Russian politics means outsiders get only a few pieces of the puzzle, much as Churchill once likened Russian politics to “bulldogs fighting under a carpet.”
• The ambassador’s job is assembling the jigsaw with limited information and drawing on experience.

Notable Quotes & Moments – With Timestamps

• "There's never been a great demand for analysis, information, understanding of Russia…" – Nigel Casey (01:50, 14:12)
• "It would be extremely dangerous if we didn't have at least this limited ability to communicate with each other." – Nigel Casey (01:50, 14:40)
• "We are every single day, as you know, accused of increasingly outlandish plans and plots by various bits of the Russian state." – Nigel Casey (03:00)
• "You do live in a parallel universe of Russian propaganda here." – Nigel Casey (16:37)
• "Part of the job is about making sure the team’s welfare is looked after… my responsibility towards them is probably the thing which keeps me awake at night more than anything else." – Nigel Casey (13:03)
• "Putin's innermost thinking is on the page... but can you take it all at face value? That’s a challenge." – Nigel Casey (20:45)

Key Timestamps & Segments

• 00:40 – 02:00: Why the UK’s presence in Russia still matters
• 03:00 – 04:21: Accusations and the reality of Britain–Russia rivalry
• 04:38 – 05:42: Shrinking circle of contacts; areas halted (science, arts, culture)
• 07:24 – 08:11: Surveillance, harassment, and overt pressure on diplomats and guests
• 09:12 – 10:05: “New Iron Curtain” – deliberate reduction in East–West contact
• 13:03 – 13:47: Staff wellbeing as the most difficult part of the job
• 14:00 – 15:41: Arguments against withdrawing diplomats and maintaining communication threads
• 16:37 – 18:47: Navigating the Russian propaganda landscape; Lewis Carroll anecdote
• 18:53 – 19:53: Personal enjoyment of Russian culture and history
• 19:53 – 22:30: The puzzle of understanding Putin’s mindset through speeches and the closed political system

Tone & Language

Throughout the conversation, both host and guest keep a measured, thoughtful tone—balancing realism about the dangers and difficulties with a sense of professional purpose, historical perspective, and lingering cultural curiosity about Russia. Casey’s responses are reflective, analytical, and grounded in experience, peppered with understated wit and a diplomatic candour. The atmosphere is serious but not fatalistic, always looking for threads of engagement.

Conclusion

Nigel Casey’s conversation offers rare insights into the life of a top diplomat in today’s Russia: a world where everyday professional acts carry risk and symbolism, information is often distorted, and bridges need to be actively defended to prevent total misunderstanding. Communication, even at its most minimal, is described not just as preferable, but as vital to international security—and to any hope of positive change in the future.