an opinion that is not only his

The Foreign Office has brushed off Russia's complaints that a remark by Prince Charles comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler over Ukraine was "outrageous" and "low".

A British official told the Russian deputy ambassador, Alexander Kramarenko, at a meeting on Thursday afternoon that "the Foreign Office could not be expected to comment upon reports of private conversations".


Russia had wanted clarification on exactly what Charles said, but instead MacLeod restated the government's hope that ahead of the Ukrainian presidential elections this weekend Russia would step back from comment or actions provoking instability in Ukraine.

theguardian