29 Feb BFPG’s February Review
February has been a month of milestones, with the most notable being the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The day was marked across the world as well as in Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was joined by the leaders of Canada, Italy, Belgium and the European Commission, to lay wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance. It was an important moment against a backdrop of splintering Western consensus on Ukraine. Director Evie Aspinall has written a piece on whether the West can maintain support for Ukraine as the war enters its third year, and where might be next for the ongoing conflict.
Last Wednesday also marked Lord Cameron’s 100-day anniversary of being Foreign Secretary. Since his appointment, Cameron has kept up a rapid tempo of travel, visiting the Middle East no less than four times, as regional tensions continue to escalate. We’ve taken this 100-day milestone to reflect on our own projections of what Cameron’s foreign policy would look like. From positioning himself as a staunch advocate for support for Ukraine, to leading mediation in the Middle East, we find that much of what we forecast has come to fruition. You can compare for yourselves against our predictions here.
As ever, we will continue to monitor the geopolitical climate and bring you timely and in-depth analysis of major updates and opportunities for the UK. Please do feel free to contact us at hello@bfpg.co.uk should you have any questions.
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Two Years On: Can the West Maintain Support for Ukraine?
When Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, he expected a short and swift victory. Two years on, he remains embroiled in a conflict that has claimed the lives of 31,000 civilians and inflicted over $150 billion worth of damage in Ukraine.
With a possible Trump Presidency on the horizon and war in the Middle East, BFPG Director Evie Aspinall explores whether the West can maintain support for Ukraine, and where might be next for the ongoing conflict.
READ HERE
A Trump Foreign Policy: Time to Get Real?
Looking across the Atlantic, David Landsman explores Donald Trump’s recent provocative rhetoric towards NATO allies and what foreign policy approach might underly Trump’s intemperate remarks. The piece goes on to explore what the trends behind this commentary might mean for the UK; in particular, a potential Labour government.
READ HERE
Meanwhile, Evie Aspinall also spoke to Bloomberg UK Politics podcast on what Trump’s Presidency may mean for the UK.
The Indonesian Election: Implications for the UK
In the latest article of BFPG’s 2024 Election Series, Luc Parrot, Director for the Indo-Pacific desk at London Politica, explores the outcome of Indonesia’s recent presidential election, and considers some of the implications for the UK of the new Presidency.
Diplomatic Hour: In Conversation with the London Diplomatic Corps
In February we hosted our first two public events in our already very popular Diplomatic Hour series, hosting events with both His Excellency Mr Karel van Oosterom, Ambassador of the Netherlands, and His Excellency Mr Bernhard Wrabetz, Ambassador of Austria. These sessions have provided invaluable insight into the current state and potential of UK relations with some of our key bilateral partners.
We will be hosting a number of private roundtables with Heads of Mission in March, and will continue with our public events come April. We hope that you are finding this event series valuable, and that it can play an important role in strengthening relations between the London diplomatic corps and the UK foreign policy community and beyond. If you’d like to get more involved or to support the event series, get in touch via hello@bfpg.co.uk.
