DAVID Lammy’s first trip as Foreign Minister, organised at very short notice, was not aimed at instant results or exploring bold new horizons.
This trip is all regarding perception – the appearance of an energetic new administration, determined to make a good start, and full of goodwill towards some of Britain’s key partners.
After an evening with his German colleague, Annalena Baerbock, Mr. Lammy’s tour continued to the bucolic setting of the overseas residence of Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorsky.
After a few hours of talking, Lammy returned to the plane for the short flight north to one of NATO’s newer members, Sweden.
Germany, Poland and Sweden
Lammy’s visit to Germany, Poland and Switzerland was motivated by Ukraine. Along with the UK, the three countries played a key role in supporting Kyiv’s war effort. With new Defence Secretary John Healey on the ground in Odesa, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government is keen to stress that Britain’s commitment to Ukraine remains steadfast.
After meetings with President Zelensky and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Healey said Britain would provide more artillery pieces, a quarter of a million rounds and almost 100 Brimstone precision missiles.
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“There may be a change of government, but Britain is united for Ukraine,” he said, promising to “reinvigorate” support through more military aid.
He also promised to expedite these additional shipments to arrive within the next 100 days.
“We want to double our commitment to Ukraine,” Lammy said, as dragonflies flew over a tranquil lake and a pair of majestic eagles circled overhead.
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France, which is facing its own general election that looks set to have far-reaching consequences, is not on the itinerary. There is no visit to Brussels either. Sir Keir has said that Britain will not return to the EU “in my lifetime”.
However, Poland and Sweden are key European partners and fellow NATO members – a good place for foreign ministers to start exploring the outlines of a closer future relationship.
“I want to reset our bilateral relationship and our relationship with the European Union,” Lammy said, adding a reference to Labour’s still somewhat vague pledge to strike a new EU-UK security pact.
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Meanwhile, on a visit to Edinburgh on Sunday, the prime minister said work to improve Britain’s relationship with the EU had begun.
He said his government “can get a much better deal than the terrible deal Boris Johnson has set out for Britain”.
Lammy said when European leaders gather at Blenheim Palace on July 18 for the next meeting of the European Political Community (formed by Emmanuel Macron following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), “a new spirit of cooperation will be on display”.
Russia, China, Gaza
The trip comes days before Sir Keir takes his first steps on the international stage as prime minister, at the NATO summit in Washington DC.
It’s a tough time to be strengthening ties, with France shifting to the right and the US perhaps on the verge of returning the unpredictable Donald Trump to the presidency.
Lammy agreed that this was a “difficult geopolitical moment,” but said it was important not to confuse the differences between mature democracies with the threat from authoritarian regimes.
“I was worried when I saw Iranian drones appearing in Ukraine,” he said.
“I am worried when I see North Korean bullets being used on European soil.”
“And of course I am concerned regarding the partnerships that I see Russia forming among these authoritarian states.”
Other issues also overshadowed the new foreign minister’s first trip, especially the war in Gaza.
In Germany on Saturday, Lammy spoke of the need to take a “more balanced” approach to Israel-Gaza.
It’s unclear what he meant exactly, but with ceasefire talks likely to resume, finding a way to end the Gaza war and revive the Arab-Israeli peace process looks set to take up much of the diplomatic time in the coming months.
For his part, Lammy’s notoriously anglophile host said that Poland’s relatively new government had similarities with Starmer’s incoming administration.
Both, Sikorsky said, were “products of a public tired of fans on the nationalist side of politics” — a comment that may only partially reflect the true nature of last week’s election.
Sikorsky said he looked forward to a “more pragmatic approach” from Britain in its relations with Europe and said the two ministers had discussed “some creative ideas on how to further develop the relationship”. (BBC/Z-3)
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