It would be quite sensible to be cautiously optimistic without expecting any major shifts toward Russia. Any coalition requires some compromise which can be achieved only by ditching some clauses from the both parties manifestos. The new government's priority is primarily focused on the UK economy ,with most likely desire to increase an input of the British export - the area where the British and Russian pragmatism can be matched. Lib Dems were the only party that openly opposed the war in Afghanistan. Just over a week ago Nick Clegg, talking to the students of Durham University, stated that there is no need to direct a button of distraction at St Petersburg and Moscow, the Cold War is over and the new threats have emerged . David Cameron was indeed one of the first in Britain to condemn 'Russian aggression' in 2008, and his party have had links in the past with some unpleasant conservatives in Europe. However, his calls to modernise conservatives may reflect on the choices that not to be repeated. Let us hope that these two modern, intelligent, well-educated and open-minded leaders will look at the relationship with Russia without a shadow of prejudice and ill-judgement.

Nice comment Svetlana...I dont think Britain have a "shadow of prejuce and ill -judgment" looking at history between those two in last 100 of years...Its so call"a goverment policy"A policy which has to be folowed-it does not care how much is wrong or not..Russia was always branded as enemy and still is today. I myself never understood this policy.. Britain citizens shall never forget the time(to be or to be gone forever) when Mother Queen(God rest her soul) in 1943 on Radio Free Europe(all Europe listen) after Russians demolish Nazis at Stalingrad:"This victory is beggining of the end of Nazis, England and ours colonies are saved"(do research)...Also she insist(Army was against this suisside mission)that Artic convoys must go and help Russians with food and weapons no matter what!She was indeed a wise woman....Its sad to say that those British heros was almost forgoten(unknown) in Britain till last year and just before 65 celebration of victory held in Moskow.....Britain and Russia shall have much more better ties-with change of government there is a chance. I am optimistic....Thanke you!

I am no so optimistic about the future relations between Russia and UK. They simply cannot accept that the sole superpower of Europe is Russia, that's why they always try to put down Russia. Britons are still nostalgic of a past when UK was a super power. By now UK is a country politically relevant only because they still have some privileges coming from their past like the permanent seat in the UN security council and a special relationship with the sinking battleship (USA). UK status as leading country in the EU is very questionable: The economic supremacy in Europe belongs to Germany (the real engine of Europe), the cultural supremacy always belonged to Italy (that has the 70% of European artistic patrimony) whilst Russia impose itself as sole European political superpower. Currently UK has the 4th GBP in Europe after Germany, France and Italy. In theory Italian GBP is similar, but considering that the 25-30% of Italian wealth is undercovered because of tax evasion, we see that British economy is far behind the bigs of Europe. Britons gave up in the '60s an economy based on production and they focused on the financial field which is showing in these years its first faults, therefore their economy does not have solid ground. The bulk of the financial fraudsters of the world currently populate the City of London. UK does not produce anymore many good engineers because they simply dont have good universities out of the financial and management fields. That's the main problem of UK since innovation and technology are the block for the future. UK have many innovating companies someone could say, but anyone who worked in England as I did would be surprised to see that in those companies 99% of the brains are foreigners.