Britain’s defence minister, Wes Streeting, has said the UK should establish “additional channels” of communication with Russia as a way to lower the “risk of miscalculation”. His comments come at a time of heightened tension between London and Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Backchannels have a long history in diplomacy. They have been used by the UK as part of attempts to resolve its dispute with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, as well as in efforts to end the Troubles in Northern Ireland.