U.K. to renew ties in Europe and deepen ties in Indo-Pacific: Rishi Sunak to say in first major foreign policy speech

The U.K. is currently updating its integrated review of foreign and security policy, published in March 2021

File photo of Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. | Photo Credit: AP

British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, will say his country seeks to renew relationships in Europe while deepening ties in the Indo Pacific, as he delivers his first major foreign policy speech since taking office in October.

“We will evolve, anchored always by our enduring belief in freedom, openness and the rule of law and confident that, in this moment of challenge and competition, our interests will be protected and our values will prevail,” Mr Sunak will tell business and other leaders at a dinner hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London (the capital’s financial district).

Mr Sunak is expected to say that competitors like Russia and China plan for the long term and the U.K. will need to do the same, according to a preview of the speech released by Downing Street.

“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,” he will say, adding that this is underpinned by delivering a “stronger economy at home”.

Mr Sunak, who was in Kyiv on November 19, where he announced a £ 50 million assistance for Ukraine, is expected to reiterate the U.K.’s commitment to holding or increasing aid levels for Kyiv in 2023 (the amount so far has been £2. 3 billion pounds, the second highest amount of aid after the U.S., as per official U.K. estimates).

 “…Be in no doubt. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will maintain or 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,” Mr Sunak will say.

The U.K. is currently updating its integrated review of foreign and security policy, published in March 2021. The document had announced an “Indo Pacific tilt” for the U.K. The update , announced by the Liz Truss administration will “take account of the huge geopolitical shifts” since March 2021, “ including the sharpening of inter-state competition due to the actions of countries like Russia, China and Iran” according to Downing Street.