Russia has dismissed Britain as a “small island" that nobody pays any attention to apart from oligarchs who have bought Chelsea, according to reports.
The slur is said to have been made during the G20 summit of world leaders in Russia.
Russian president Vladimir Putin, who is hosting the meeting, has clashed with Western leaders who accuse the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad of using chemical weapons against his own people.
And according to a report by the Daily Mirror, a spokesman for Mr Putin said: “Britain is a small island – nobody pays any attention to them apart from the Russian oligarchs who have bought up Chelsea.".
It was unclear if the slur referred to rich Russians buying property in the exclusive area of London or Roman Abramovich buying Chelsea football club - or possibly both.
Mr Cameron, who has faced suggestions that he has been sidelined at the summit, said: “I don’t accept that for a moment.
"It’s right to make a stand on chemical weapons, it’s right to take that to Parliament, it’s right to respect Parliament.”
The prime minister was forced to rule out British involvement in any strike against Assad after a shock defeat on the issue in parliament.
He also insisted Britain would lead the argument internationally to respond strongly on chemical weapons - and said the UK had further evidence of the use of chemical weapons - reportedly sarin gas - in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
According to the Daily Mirror, Mr Putin’s press secretary Dmitri Peskov denied he was the source of the comments.
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