22 July: Benckendorff writes privately to Sazonov reporting a conversation with Lichnowsky.
Lichnowsky fears the Austrian demarche will be unacceptable to Serbia. He thinks Berlin is unlikely to restrain Austria-Hungary. He suggests Russia communicates its concern to Vienna but Benckendorff doesn’t think this will help.
Benckendorff tells Sazonov that if war breaks out it will be important for Russia to show it has done everything possible to avoid it, to win the support of the British government.