Ritzler¹ has verbally communicated to me a telegram from the German government: they would not wish to introduce their troops onto Russian territory, but at the same time expect that Russia, with regard to Murman, will fulfil its treaty obligations.

We have postponed the presentation of a note against England concerning Murman. Now the note will have to be issued, and immediately,² of course.

Can you receive the Turkish envoy tomorrow afternoon?

I am feeling unwell. Could I be excused? If it is absolutely impossible, we shall telephone one another tomorrow at 12 o’clock or arrange for 2 o’clock.

¹ Kurt (Rüdorffer) Ritzler at this time was acting as German diplomatic representative.

² On 27 June 1918 the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs addressed a protest to the British diplomatic representative in Moscow, Lockhart, against the landing of troops in Murmansk (see *Documents of the Foreign Policy of the USSR*, Vol. 1, 1957, pp. 376–377).