(dpa) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday congratulated Russia's President-elect Dmitry Medvedev on his landslide victory but stressed that the new Russian government would be judged "on its actions."
Brown's spokesman said the British leader was "looking forward" to meeting Medvedev at the summit of G8 industrial nations in Japan in July, and suggested that there might be a chance to ease tensions in relations.
"We have always said that we will look for opportunities to improve our relationship with Russia, and hopefully get Russian co-operation on a number of issues," the spokesman said.
"We should judge the new government on its actions."
Anglo-Russian relations have taken a downward turn in the aftermath of the radioactive poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London in November, 2006, and Russia's subsequent refusal to extradite Andrei Lugovoy, wanted in Britain as the chief suspect in the murder.