Russian officials said Monday that a major exhibit of Russian and French paintings will now be allowed to travel to London, because Britain has taken action to prevent the art from being confiscated.

Russian officials earlier this month canceled the show, expressing fear the art could be seized because of claims by descendants of people who owned the paintings before the 1917 Russian revolution.

Britain announced Sunday new legislation would take affect Monday providing government guarantees against any claims to the art.

Moscow followed with Monday's announcement that the exhibit will take place after all.

The 120 paintings to be displayed at Britain's Royal Academy of Art beginning January 26 include works by Matisse and Van Gogh.

The exhibit dispute caps a year of rising British-Russian diplomatic tensions triggered by last year's poisoning death of a former Russian spy in London.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.