London, Prime Minister John Russell was deeply dissatisfied with the current situation in Europe.
The Paris Government had actually offered a loan to the Russians. Although the amount was not large by British standards—merely 100 million francs—the political implications were terrifying.
Originally, it had been agreed that England and France would join forces financially and materially to support a proxy war between the Kingdom of Prussia and Russia.
Now, as the Kingdom of Prussia was beginning to face a crisis on the battlefield, the French couldn't wait to kick them while they were down.
Perhaps in the eyes of the Paris Government, this was a timely move to cut losses and gain a larger return. However, from the British perspective, Prime Minister John Russell could not tolerate this.
