PM’s promise to stand up to competitors and ‘do things differently’ in Europe
Rishi Sunak is promising to stand up to competitors with “robust pragmatism” rather than “grand rhetoric” as he distances himself from Boris Johnson’s foreign policy approach.
The prime minister will rule out “short-termism” and “wishful thinking” when dealing with adversaries including Russia and China, as he pledges to stand up for British values.
In his first major foreign policy speech, Mr Sunak will tell international dignitaries and business leaders on Monday he will “do things differently” as he stresses the need to reinvigorate relationships in Europe.
Both Mr Johnson and Liz Truss, his short-lived successor in Downing Street, were seen as taking more combative approaches with allies such as France’s Emmanuel Macron.
Mr Sunak will stress the need to adapt to new challenges and threats as the government updates the integrated review of defence and foreign policy.
In the speech at the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London’s Guildhall, Mr Sunak is expected to say: “Our adversaries and competitors plan for the long term. In the face of these challenges, short-termism or wishful thinking will not suffice.
“So we will make an evolutionary leap in our approach. This means being stronger in defending our values and the openness on which our prosperity depends.
“It means delivering a stronger economy at home – because it is the foundation of our strength abroad.
“And it means standing up to our competitors, not with grand rhetoric, but with robust pragmatism.”
Ms Truss initially refused to describe the French president as a “friend” while Mr Johnson frequently scrapped with him over issues such as post-Brexit fishing rights.
Even out of office, Mr Johnson has become involved in clashes with allies, with Berlin this week dismissing as “utter nonsense” his claim that Germany wanted Ukraine to quickly “fold” to the Russian invasion for economic reasons.
Mr Sunak has been trying to portray himself as the calmer and more sensible successor to the periods of chaos under his Conservative predecessors.
But he will maintain their firm commitment to supporting Ukraine’s resistance against Vladimir Putin‘s war after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with Rishi Sunak in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Mr Sunak will vow to “stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes” and pledge to maintain or even “increase our military aid next year”.
“And we will provide new support for air defence, to protect the Ukrainian people and the critical infrastructure that they rely on.
“By protecting Ukraine, we protect ourselves.”
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Rishi Sunak meets Zelenskyy in Kyiv for first time since becoming prime minister
Mr Sunak has been seeking to work more closely with France to tackle migrant crossings of the Channel in small boats, and with Albania to get a returns agreement for failed asylum seekers.
However, there are concerns that efforts to broker a deal with Albania have been made more difficult by Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
The nation’s prime minister, Edi Rama, accused her of using “crazy words” and attempting to find scapegoats for the crisis by targeting his people.
Mr Sunak will stress the need to deepen ties in the Indo-Pacific as well as strengthening bonds that have been frayed by Brexit with Europe.
World
Trump criticises Putin after potentially ‘historic’ meeting with Zelenskyy before Pope’s funeral
Donald Trump has criticised Vladimir Putin and suggested a shift in his stance towards the Russian president after a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the Pope’s funeral.
The Ukrainian president said the one-on-one talks could prove to be “historic” after pictures showed him sitting opposite Mr Trump, around two feet apart, in the large marble hall inside St Peter’s Basilica.
The US president said he doubted his Russian counterpart’s willingness to end the war after leaving Rome after the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Follow live updates: 200,000 mourn at Vatican
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said “there was no reason” for the Russian president “to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days”.
The two leaders held talks before attending the Pope’s funeral
He added: “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
The meeting between the US and Ukrainian leaders was their first face-to-face encounter since a very public row in the Oval Office in February.
Mr Zelenskyy said he had a good meeting with Mr Trump in which they talked about the defence of the Ukrainian people, a full and unconditional ceasefire, and a durable and lasting peace that would prevent the war restarting.
Other images released by the Ukrainian president’s office show Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron were present for part of the talks, which were described as “positive” by the French presidency.
Mr Zelenskyy‘s spokesman said the meeting lasted for around 15 minutes and he and Mr Trump had agreed to hold further discussions later on Saturday.
The world leaders shared a moment before the service
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Basilica
But the US president left Rome for Washington on Air Force One soon after the funeral without any other talks having taken place.
The Ukrainian president’s office said there was no second meeting in Rome because of the tight schedule of both leaders, although he had separate discussions with Mr Starmer and Mr Macron.
The French president said in a post on X “Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire” and that a so-called coalition of the willing, led by the UK and France, would continue working to achieve a lasting peace.
There was applause from some of the other world leaders in attendance at the Vatican when Mr Zelenskyy walked out of St Peter’s Basilica after stopping in front of the pontiff’s coffin to pay his respects.
Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president met for the first time since their Oval Office row. Pic: Reuters
Sir Tony Brenton, the former British ambassador to Russia, said the event presents diplomatic opportunities, including the “biggest possible meeting” between Mr Trump and the Ukrainian leader.
He told Sky News it could mark “an important step” in starting the peace process between Russia and Ukraine.
Professor Father Francesco Giordano told Sky News the meeting is being called “Pope Francis’s miracle” by members of the clergy, adding: “There’s so many things that happened today – it was just overwhelming.”
The bilateral meeting comes after Mr Trump’s peace negotiator Steve Witkoff held talks with Mr Putin at the Kremlin.
They discussed “the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine”, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
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Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the early weeks of the war, which began in February 2022.
Mr Trump has claimed a deal to end the war is “very close” and has urged Mr Zelenskyy to “get it done” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He has previously warned both sides his administration would walk away from its efforts to achieve a peace if the two sides do not agree a deal soon.
Meanwhile, the Polish armed forces said a Russian military helicopter violated its airspace over the Baltic Sea on Friday evening.
“The nature of the incident indicates that Russia is testing the readiness of our air defence systems,” they said in a post on X.
On an extraordinary day, remarkable pictures on the margins that capture what may be a turning point for the world.
In a corner of St Peter’s Basilica before the funeral of Pope Francis, the leaders of America and Ukraine sit facing each other in two solitary chairs.
They look like confessor and sinner except we cannot tell which one is which.
Leaning forward hands together in their laps, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy stare at each other in one photo.
In another, the Ukrainian president seems to be remonstrating with the US president. This is their first encounter since their infamous bust-up in the Oval Office.
The two leaders held talks before attending the Pope’s funeral
Other pictures show the moment their French and British counterparts introduced the two men. There is a palpable sense of nervousness in the way the leaders engage.
We do not know what the two presidents said in their brief meeting.
But in the mind of the Ukrainian leader will be the knowledge President Trump has this week said America will reward Russia for its unprovoked brutal invasion of his country, under any peace deal.
Mr Trump has presented Ukraine and Russia with a proposal and ultimatum so one-sided it could have been written in the Kremlin.
Kyiv must surrender the land Russia has taken by force, Crimea forever, the rest at least for now. And it must submit to an act of extortion, a proposed deal that would hand over half its mineral wealth effectively to America.
The world leaders shared a moment before the service
Afterwards, Zelenskyy said it had been a good meeting that could turn out to be historic “if we reach results together”.
They had talked, he said, about the defence of Ukraine, a full and unconditional ceasefire and a durable and lasting peace that will prevent a war restarting.
The Trump peace proposal includes only unspecified security guarantees for Ukraine from countries that do not include the US. It rules out any membership of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s allies are watching closely to see if Mr Trump will apply any pressure on Vladimir Putin, let alone punish him for recent bloody attacks on Ukraine.
Or will he simply walk away if the proposal fails, blaming Ukrainian intransigence, however outrageously, before moving onto a rapprochement with Moscow.
If he does, America’s role as guarantor of international security will be seen effectively as over.
This could be the week we see the world order as we have known it since the end of the Second World War buried, as well as a pope.
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