Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 May 2026.

The UK thanks Deputy Prime Minister Chiveri for his remarks to the Permanent Council, welcomes the resumption of in person 1+1 meetings between Chief Negotiators, and encourages Chisinau and Tiraspol to build on this renewed momentum.

Thank you, Mr Chair. Deputy Prime Minister Chiveri, welcome to the Permanent Council, and thank you for your remarks this morning.

The United Kingdom remains a steadfast and consistent supporter of Moldova’s path towards European integration. We were pleased to host the fifth session of the UK-Moldova Strategic Dialogue in London last month. We commend the sustained progress your government has made on democratic reform, the rule of law, and the protection of fundamental rights. The United Kingdom also recognises Moldova’s significant contribution to regional security, including in support of Ukraine’s security.

Deputy Prime Minister, the UK welcomes the resumption of in‑person 1+1 meetings between Chief Negotiators in February and April. These meetings mark an important step forward and underscore the value of sustained, direct dialogue in unlocking meaningful progress. We are grateful to the OSCE Mission to Moldova for facilitating and moderating these meetings. We also welcome the increased activity of the Working Groups, which provide an important channel for addressing issues that affect people’s daily lives.

The United Kingdom encourages Chisinau and Tiraspol to continue engaging constructively and in good faith across all established formats, and to build on this renewed momentum.

The United Kingdom recognises and strongly supports the vital work of OSCE Mission to Moldova on reintegration, including through the Mission’s support to implementation of measures agreed under the Berlin‑plus package, delivering tangible benefits for communities on both banks of the river Nistru. Practical cooperation on issues such as education, vehicle registration, and access to land remains essential to building confidence and trust over time.

The United Kingdom reiterates our longstanding concern over the continued presence of Russian military forces in Transnistria, which is incompatible with Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We underline the importance of the full and unconditional withdrawal of these forces and associated ammunition stockpiles, in line with international commitments.

Deputy Prime Minister, the United Kingdom stands ready to support further efforts towards achieving comprehensive, peaceful, and sustainable settlement that fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, within its internationally recognised borders. We will remain a committed partner to Moldova as you continue to advance democratic reforms and pursue your European future.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 May 2026.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has today summoned the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires to the United Kingdom.

The UK has today summoned the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office following the inflammatory video posted by Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The summoning reflects the UK’s strong condemnation of his conduct in taunting those involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla. This behaviour violates the most basic standards of respect and dignity for people.

We are also deeply concerned by the detention conditions depicted and have demanded an explanation from the Israeli authorities. We made clear their obligations to protect the rights of all those involved.

The flotilla’s attempt to deliver aid underlines the severity of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Israel must ensure significantly more aid can enter safely and at scale through land routes.

We are in contact with the families of a number of British nationals involved and stand ready to provide consular support at any time.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 May 2026.

The UK condemns Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians following Ukraine’s good faith ceasefire offer. Credible peace requires restraint and constructive engagement, not intensified violence.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

Words about peace matter only if they are matched by actions. Last week, Ukraine demonstrated that principle by offering to extend the ceasefire brokered by the United States, with the clear aim of reducing civilian harm and opening space for dialogue. That offer was clear, constructive, and made in good faith.

Russia’s response was to unleash the most intense aerial assault of this war. In the 24 hours up to the morning of 14 May, Russia launched more than 1,470 drones and 56 missiles at Ukraine — the highest number fired in any 24‑hour period since the full‑scale invasion began. In Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities report that 24 people were killed and 47 injured, including children, when a residential building was struck.

While Ukraine proposes ceasefires to stop the killing and open space for dialogue, Russia seeks or agrees to short pauses for different reasons. These moments of silence are not used to pursue talks or to build confidence. They are used to stockpile missiles and drones and prepare the next wave of attacks. Russia seeks ceasefires for convenience, spectacle and military advantage.

We have seen the consequences of this approach not only in Kyiv, but across Ukraine. Civilian areas continue to be attacked. Critical services continue to be disrupted. At least 238 Ukrainian civilians were killed and a further 1,404 injured in April – a 13% increase from March and the highest since July 2025.

Mr Chair, we cannot allow ourselves to become immune to the horror of what we are seeing. Attacks on civilian areas are not normal. The destruction of homes and the killing of families should never be met with resignation or indifference. If we lose our sense of shock, we weaken the principles this Organisation exists to uphold.

The United Kingdom supports efforts to bring this war to an end. We support serious diplomacy that leads to a peace which is just and lasting. But credibility in peace efforts is demonstrated through actions, not declarations. Russia can show a willingness to move in that direction at any time: by stopping these attacks, by engaging constructively, and by choosing restraint over violence.

The UK will continue to support Ukraine in defending its people and its territory. And we will continue to work with partners to ensure that these attacks are neither ignored nor normalised.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 May 2026.

The UK has announced up to £20 million to support communities affected by the deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• Up to £20 million of new UK aid funding to help contain the recent outbreak of Ebola in Eastern DRC.
• Funding will support a DRC-led response to protect frontline responders and local communities. 
• UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to co-chair ministerial group to coordinate Government response.

The UK has allocated up to £20 million in new funding to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The funding will help the World Health Organisation, UN, international and NGO partners respond rapidly to the outbreak by strengthening disease surveillance, supporting frontline health workers, improving infection prevention and control, and helping affected communities access lifesaving care. 

Most confirmed cases are in the Ituri region of eastern DRC – a region already facing significant humanitarian and security challenges.

Alongside this funding, UK humanitarian partners are already responding to contain the outbreak. The UK has been working with leading international humanitarian organisations to contain the outbreak. Through the Strategic Assistance for Emergency Response (SAFER) consortium, the UK is pivoting funding to improve water, sanitation and hygiene systems, ensuring frontline responders and local communities have vital personal protective equipment, and strengthening Ebola containment measures. 

The UK is also refocusing efforts to protect maternity facilities and support civil society organisations to strengthen prevention and control, and mitigate the risk of increased birth complications and sexual violence during the outbreak.

Today [21st May] the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care chaired a cross-government meeting to coordinate the UK’s response to the outbreak, including how to protect British nationals overseas and work with international partners.  

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

It is vital we act now to save lives – outbreaks like Ebola do not stop at borders, and neither can we.

This outbreak is a stark reminder that global health threats require a global response. The UK is working hand-in-hand with partners – boosting much needed funding but also sharing our technical expertise,  to contain the outbreak, protect our security, and support those most at risk.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is assessing routes by which travellers enter the UK from the affected countries and will be working with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Department for Transport, and Border Force to ensure information is available to them on Ebola symptoms and how to access healthcare if unwell. The UK has updated its travel advice and advises against all but essential travel to some parts of the DRC.

Additionally, UKHSA has activated the Returning Workers Scheme, which aims to protect and monitor the health of individuals travelling from the UK to affected areas for their work. Organisations deploying workers to affected areas where they may be exposed to Ebola through their work should register those workers with the scheme.  

Dr Mike Reynolds, Incident Director at UKHSA, said: 

While the current outbreak of Ebola affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda is serious, the risk it poses to the UK population is low. UKHSA continues to monitor and assess the situation closely and the NHS has safe procedures in place for any such cases and specialist centres where they can be looked after. 

The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team stands ready to activate should requests for support be received from the DRC or Ugandan government, WHO, or other partners involved in response on the ground. 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 May 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Protection of civilians in armed conflict.

First, it is critical that we press all parties to conflict to not only uphold their legal obligations, but to do all they can to protect civilians and minimise harm. 

We are deeply concerned at the Secretary-General’s reporting of 37,000 civilian deaths in conflicts in 2025, with Gaza and Sudan suffering the highest toll. 

 The scale of reported attacks on medical personnel and facilities is alarming. 

This is all the more horrifying as we mark the ten-year anniversary of Security Council resolution 2286, which demanded an end to these attacks. 

We call on all parties to conflict to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, to protect civilians.

Second, as conflicts become increasingly complex, we need to hone our tools and evolve our approaches to best protect civilians.

Technological advances, including AI, are changing the way conflicts are fought. 

As the Secretary-General made clear, we are witnessing a rapid expansion in the use of weaponised UAVs in conflicts, including in Ukraine, Sudan, Lebanon and the DRC, with reports of the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure. 

And having listened to the extraordinary intervention of our Russian colleague today, I feel compelled to respond to the hypocrisy. As part of its war of aggression in Ukraine, it has killed over 150 civilians this month alone. Russia is on track to fire more drones into Ukraine this month than any other since the start of the war. Killing dozens, injuring hundreds, and striking homes and civilian infrastructure, including pre-schools.

 But technological advances can also support the protection of civilians. 

For example, UN peacekeeping missions are harnessing technology to improve situational awareness and protection, and we should continue to support this.   

Finally, the protection of civilians depends on our collective action. 

All member states, regional organisations, and the UN play a critical role. 

We should continue using our diplomatic channels to press parties to conflict for humanitarian access and the protection of aid workers, including by supporting the ICRC Global Initiative.

 The United Kingdom will continue using its role in the Council to advance the protection of civilians and accountability. 

And we are also proud to have launched, with international partners, the Coalition for Atrocity Prevention and Justice for Sudan to support civilians in one of the most destructive conflicts. 

We look forward to continuing this international coordination to support civilians in conflict wherever they are.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 May 2026.

UK Statement for the Explanation of Vote on Lebanon. Delivered at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Thank you, Chair.

The UK voted in favour of this decision.

The conflict in Lebanon has had a devastating impact on civilians. We utterly condemn Hizballah and its attacks against Israel, including against civilian areas. These must cease.

And in Lebanon, Israeli military action has had unacceptable impacts on civilians and medical care. The conflict has led to the displacement of over 1 million people and the closure of several hospitals and health facilities. The WHO has reported over 150 verified attacks against healthcare, with over 100 healthcare workers killed.

We call on all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including in relation to the protection of medical and humanitarian personnel. Damage to healthcare facilities not only causes immediate losses of civilian life, but also deprives communities of critical, life-saving services and can exacerbate long-term humanitarian challenges.

We commend the efforts of the Lebanese government and the WHO in this challenging context. The UK has committed £30m in humanitarian support in response to the crisis. The UK also welcomes the further renewal of the ceasefire.

All parties must take every effort to comply with this agreement and must ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 May 2026.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to lead UK-convened international coalition to tackle global emergency of violence against women and girls.

• mirroring the UK Government mission to halve VAWG in a decade, the Coalition announced at the Global Partnerships Conference will see countries across the globe share expertise and scale up prevention work
• eight countries have signed up to this new Coalition, driven by the Foreign Secretary

Women and girls across the globe will be better protected from violence and abuse, as the UK spearheads a new international effort to drive progress, to be announced by the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper today at the Global Partnerships Conference in London.  

The new coalition brings together eight countries to work together to prevent violence so that women and girls can live free from fear, no matter who or where they are. Member states will drive practical action to prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence, which affects 1 in every 3 women globally, as well as tackling online abuse, which is on the rise around the world.  

Founding members are the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, Jamaica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Australia.  

As the world faces increasing conflict, the International Coalition will also look to strengthen global efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict and other forms of violence in humanitarian crises.

Next year, the UK will convene a major summit on tackling violence against women and girls where countries can set out further commitments and report on progress.

The Government has already pledged the largest crackdown on violence against women and girls in British history, committing to halve these horrific crimes within a decade and introducing lifesaving policies like Raneem’s Law, which has seen domestic abuse specialists embedded in 999 control rooms.

The Foreign Secretary has exported her domestic experience into foreign policy, declaring women and girls a departmental priority at the FCDO and protecting central spending on tackling violence against women and girls in a challenging fiscal context.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, said:

Violence against women and girls is a global emergency not just a national emergency. We are determined to work across borders to ensure women’s safety is a world wide priority. I visited the Sudanese border in February, and I heard girls speak of rape, abduction and abhorrent sexual violence. I will make sure their voices are heard and fight to end violence for every single one of them – and for the 1 in 3 women globally who will experience sexual or physical abuse in their lifetime.  

I’m delighted to launch this Coalition with countries around the world that share our ambition. Because from the UK, to Brazil, to South Africa and beyond, women deserve to live free from fear of violence. And because there can be no peace, security, or prosperity for any of us until they do.

Through the Coalition, countries will share expertise in tackling the issue and develop national action plans to scale up work to prevent violence, protect women and girls, and hold perpetrators to account. 

Yesterday, the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper visited Lewisham Police Station, alongside the UK Safeguarding Minister Natalie Fleet and Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation. They spoke to Met police officers and saw demonstrations of their V100 programme – a pioneering digital risk assessment using counter-terrorism tactics to identify, target and manage the most dangerous VAWG offenders in London. 

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls Natalie Fleet said:

Violence against women and girls is a global emergency and tackling this issue requires more than warm words.

To create a world where women and girls feel safe from harm, we must build a united, global front and I’m proud to stand alongside international partners today who committed to doing just that.

But we will not stop there. We will deploy the full power of the UK state to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

The launch comes alongside the publication of the UK’s new International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls, which sets out how the UK will defend the rights of women and girls across the world, embedding this across diplomacy, trade, security, and development, using UK partnerships and resources to drive progress. 

The Framework outlines the UK’s increased ambition to ensure women and girls are placed at the heart of everything we do, and includes a commitment that at least 90% of FCDO bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) will have a focus on gender equality by 2030.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 May 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

I thank Director General Grossi for his briefing. And I welcome the participation of the permanent representative of the UAE in our meeting today.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank Dr Grossi and staff at the International Atomic Energy Agency for their professionalism and dedication in delivering essential work on nuclear safety, security, and safeguards, often in the most challenging circumstances. 

The United Kingdom condemns this attack on the Barakah nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates, in the strongest terms.  

This was a reckless attack which could have had severe consequences for nuclear safety and for regional security. 

We welcome reports that radiation levels remain normal and that no injuries have been reported. 

We call on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to apply, respect, and uphold international law, including the UN Charter and international humanitarian law. 

Such actions risk further escalation at a time of heightened tensions.  

President, looking to the wider region, we welcome action from the Council, led by the Gulf, to address increased tensions and instability.   

Resolution 2817 is clear. Iran must cease all attacks, including in the Strait of Hormuz.  

These attacks continue to threaten global security and prosperity, increase economic pressure on the most vulnerable, and put civilian lives in danger.  

The United Kingdom stands firmly alongside the UAE and all our partners in the region in support of their sovereignty, security, and protection of critical national infrastructure.

We will continue to pursue all diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, including here in the Security Council while providing practical support to help defend our friends in the Gulf.  

Colleagues, the situation in the Middle East remains fragile.  

We all want to see a de-escalation of tensions in the region. 

Together, we must do all we can to support and sustain the ceasefire. 

We call on Iran to engage meaningfully in negotiations, and to move towards lasting and sustainable peace.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 May 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

This Council exists to uphold international peace and security. 

Yet we meet again because the actions of a permanent member over the last two weeks have made one thing clear: Russia has no interest in peace.

Despite repeated global calls for a ceasefire, President Putin has continued his deadly attacks on Ukraine, accepting a ceasefire only when it suited him: a pause long enough to protect his Victory Day parade.

The moment the parade ended, the killing resumed. 24 people killed by a single strike on a block of apartments. Russia is lashing out in desperation.  A state that needs a spectacle to mask its insecurity, and missiles to silence diplomacy, is not acting from confidence. It is acting from fear. Fear that Ukraine will endure and Russia’s aggression will fail.

This disregard for life extends to those trying to save it. As we’ve heard today, last week, a clearly marked UN vehicle on a humanitarian mission in Kherson was struck twice by drones, endangering humanitarians delivering vital aid. This is not an isolated incident. OCHA reports over 50 incidents affecting humanitarian personnel and operations so far this year. These attacks are straining a response on which millions rely.

President Putin continues to choose deadly violence because he is desperate. Russia has killed over 150 civilians this month alone. His objectives remain unmet after over four years, and conditions at home continue to deteriorate. Russia’s economy is increasingly subsumed by defence spending. Yet he continues, despite clear evidence that Ukraine is resisting effectively and imposing significant costs.

As the Council marks Protection of Civilians week, we remind Russia of their obligations under international law. We echo the Secretary General’s call for a comprehensive ceasefire, and a just and lasting peace.

But peace begins with truth: this war could end the moment Russia stops its invasion.

President Putin cannot achieve his goals by military means.

Russia is losing more soldiers than it is recruiting.

And at the rate it is seizing territory, it would take decades to achieve its war aims. 

So he is desperate to convince us all that Russia’s victory is inevitable. That our support is a lost cause. But no one is falling for it. Europe’s support is here to stay.