Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 May 2026.

Ambassador Holland welcomed the US-brokered ceasefire and Ukraine’s efforts to pursue peace, condemns Russia’s mass attack on Kyiv and highlighted how Russia’s actions have undermined cooperative security, OSCE mechanisms and trust.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

The United Kingdom welcomes the US-brokered ceasefire of 9–11 May. We note Ukraine’s offer to extend the ceasefire on long-range strikes beyond 11 May. This offer fits squarely with Ukraine’s long-standing efforts to create a more conducive environment for negotiations on a just and lasting peace. Regrettably, Russia wasted no time in restarting long-range strikes – once again choosing the path of destruction over the path of peace.

We saw the consequences of this overnight, with Russia launching over 600 drones and nearly 60 missiles, predominantly at Kyiv. A residential building, a school and a veterinary clinic were damaged. We condemn these barbaric attacks.

Mr Chair, children have been among the most gravely affected by Russia’s decision to choose war. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred or deported, subjected to indoctrination, and, in some cases, exposed to militarisation.

That is why the United Kingdom has imposed a package of targeted sanctions against individuals and entities involved in the forced deportation, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children. These measures form part of a coordinated international response alongside our partners, including the UK’s participation at the High‑Level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children in Brussels, reaffirming our commitment to accountability and to the safe return of children to their families and communities. We will, of course, return to this subject later in our meeting.

Mr Chair, this Council exists because participating States once shared a clear vision of security in Europe. The Helsinki Final Act spoke of security built “through cooperation” rather than confrontation, and the Charter of Paris committed us to a Europe “whole, free and at peace”. The OSCE was designed to translate that vision into practical tools: dialogue, transparency, restraint, and verification.

Russia’s actions over many years have steadily eroded that model. The continued presence of Russian forces in Moldova and Georgia against the host countries’ will, the illegal attempted annexation of Crimea, and Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine have all struck at the foundations of cooperative security. Alongside this, Russia has hollowed out the OSCE’s instruments: obstructing confidence- and security-building measures, disregarding requests under the Vienna Document, and contributing to the wider erosion of the European arms control architecture.

The impact is visible in this very room. Weekly Permanent Council meetings are confrontational rather than problem-solving.  Agreed OSCE mechanisms for military transparency and risk reduction are weakened or unused. Trust has been replaced by accusation, and predictability has been replaced by escalation.

Russia’s treatment of this Organisation has also unfortunately extended to its personnel. We condemn the continued detention of our three colleagues: Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov, and Dmytro Shabanov. This is emblematic of a broader pattern: obstruction of independent scrutiny and disregard for the spirit of commitments undertaken by consensus.

Mr Chair, none of this was inevitable. The OSCE does not require reinvention; it requires recommitment. A return to the founding purpose of this organisation would mean engaging seriously with OSCE mechanisms, restoring transparency and restraint, respecting agreed rules, and ending actions that fundamentally contradict them.

Above all, it would require Russia to end its illegal war of aggression and to withdraw its forces from Ukrainian, Moldovan and Georgian territory.  We urge Russia to do this. Above all, of course, because it is the right thing to do. But also because it is the only way to change the status of this organisation from a theatre for confrontation, which is a direct consequence of Russia’s actions, to something more recognisable to all of its founding fathers.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 May 2026.

UK Statement at the World Trade Organization’s General Council in Geneva.

Agenda item 5: Request for Observer Status by the African Union – Communication from Mozambique on behalf of the African Group (WT/MIN(26)/9 – WT/GC/W/995) – Request from Namibia on behalf of the African Group

The UK is a supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and was the first non-African country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the AfCFTA Secretariat in September 2021.

The UK is content with the request from the African Group for the African Union to be an observer, recognising the unique role of the African Union.

This should not, however, be a precedent for more regional and supranational groupings being observers. All requests should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Agenda item 8. Preserving the Spirit of Open and Predictable Trade: Collective Restraint Against Actions Undermining Trade Liberalization – Request from the Republic of Korea

We agree with much of Korea’s analysis. The gaps in the WTO framework and the poor implementation frameworks have left us unable to address systemic issues that are leading to politically unacceptable outcomes.

These problems, including those connected with subsidies and overcapacity, have been debated in many different parts of the WTO. In disputes, in the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and elsewhere. 

We very much agree that these issues have long-standing and complex roots.

Yet all of our discussions, all of our conversations have not yielded any results. They have not resulted in any change.

It has left Members with no other option but to act. It underlines the urgency that we need to change our approach and get really serious about addressing the lack of a level playing field and move forward with reform.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 May 2026.

UK Statement at the World Trade Organization’s General Council in Geneva. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Kumar Iyer.

Agenda item 1: Election of Chairperson

The UK would like to start by expressing our condolences at the passing of the Commerce Secretary, Mahbubur Rahman, a tragic loss. We would also like to bid a fond farewell to departing colleagues and to welcome new Members whom we look forward to working with. Importantly we would like to thank Ambassador Saqer bin Abdullah Al-Moqbel for the thankless task that you have taken on, and we would like to thank you as much as possible for having done so. As others have said your dedication and patience, and on a personal note, I am particularly grateful for your warmth and openness in the work that you have done.

A warm welcome to Ambassador Kelly. The UK very much looks forward to getting to work under your guidance, and you have the UK’s full support on the choices of beverages. I know that New Zealand has a very strong coffee culture. I also note that you have great Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and that the UK is content with either beverage, at any time of day!

Agenda item 2+3: Follow-up to MC14 (Yaoundé)

The UK is grateful to Cameroon and the Secretariat for the organisation of MC14 and in particular for the genuine warmth, the reception and hosting of the event. We are however disappointed in the outcome. Something that the hosts could not control and is way beyond their ability to shape.

The outcome is what it was. We did not achieve substantive outcomes on any of the major decision items. We did, however, as has been mentioned, come very, very close. What is clear from the discussions is that the need for change is significant. The support for reform and change is also significant. As has been noted, we do have a document that has widespread support. I know from the UK perspective we do not currently have a mandate to engage in further process discussions. We are however ready to engage in further discussions with any and all countries who are willing and ready to do so. The UK will start to think about substantive policy papers that we will bring forward to this Council.

However, we want that process to be inclusive and orderly, involving all Members. That requires a process, we think that some of those ideas set out by the Chair are ones that we would fully support. Whilst the Work Programme is not everything that the UK wanted, to maintain order, if other Members are willing, the UK to voluntarily constrain its scope to the work programme as outlined at the end of Yaounde in the Chair’s statement.

We believe there are lessons to be learned from previous process. I think some of the points that you note are in the right direction in that regard.

There is also outstanding work to do in two areas where we missed an opportunity for decisions.

The first is IFDA. We thank South Africa and Türkiye for changing their positions, but we are still extremely disappointed that we did not reach consensus. We do celebrate the launch of the joint Ministerial Declaration which provides clear next steps to advance incorporation and implementation of the Agreement.

On E-commerce the UK is also disappointed at the outcome. We are now in a situation with no moratorium, no dedicated venue to discuss digital trade. This provides significant challenges for the reputation and credibility of the WTO and an important sphere for companies around the world. We do however welcome the ECA and the UK remains open and committed to providing certainty to businesses through this and other viable mechanisms in the interim period. Primary for us is to seek a multilateral solution in place for the moratorium. Finally, we were of course disappointed very significantly with the lack of outcomes on development and we are willing to support all areas of the LDC package including to find compromises on LDC Graduation. The UK would encourage all parties to continue to engage with an open mind on this topic.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 May 2026.

UK Senior Military Advisor, Colonel Joby Rimmer warns that Russia’s selective ceasefires mask bad faith engagement, a war dependent economy, and growing militarisation, making Moscow more coercive and risk tolerant. Russia’s actions, not its rhetoric, demonstrate the absence of any genuine commitment to a lasting peace in Europe.

The United Kingdom remains unequivocally committed to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We warmly welcome President Trump’s achievement in brokering a 3-day ceasefire and a substantial prisoner exchange. We fully support US-led efforts to secure a just and lasting peace and would emphasise that Ukraine has demonstrated its commitment to peace, including by agreeing to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and is working constructively with the US, UK and other partners towards that objective.

Unfortunately, Russia has failed to engage with peace efforts in good faith. Moscow’s rhetoric may suggest openness to restraint, but its actions demonstrate something very different: a non-committal, selective approach designed to serve their own short-term political and security objectives rather than a genuine effort to bring the war to an end. The limited ceasefire announced last week was not a step toward peace, but a pause timed to protect domestic political symbolism from increasingly capable Ukrainian long-range and unmanned strike capabilities.

The Kremlin’s primary concern was clearly the protection of high-profile commemorative events from disruption, not the cessation of hostilities or the protection of civilians. The fact that Russia could suspend certain operations for its own convenience, while refusing a broader ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and supported internationally, exposes the fundamentally instrumental nature of its approach to de-escalation.

This posture is closely linked to a growing structural challenge for the Russian system: an economy that is becoming ever more dependent on the continuation of war. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has become the central mechanism through which the Kremlin sustains industrial output, channels employment, protects regime-linked interests, mobilises society, justifies repression, and preserves the political narrative on which it increasingly relies.

The United Kingdom takes no satisfaction in the hardship imposed on the Russian people by their government’s decision-making. But the deterioration of Russia’s economy has direct implications for military sustainability, escalation dynamics and regional stability. A weakening Russia that remains committed to imperial aggression is not a less dangerous Russia. It is a more militarised, more coercive and more risk tolerant one.

Russia’s own data underlines this trend. Economic growth has stalled, investment remains weak and consumer demand is slowing. Fiscal pressures are intensifying as revenues decline and expenditure, particularly defence spending, continues to rise. Even where commodity revenues provide temporary relief, they do not address the deeper structural imbalances of a war-driven economic model that is approaching its limits.

This creates a dangerous feedback loop. As the civilian economy weakens, the Kremlin relies more heavily on defence spending and state procurement to sustain output, employment and political control. The greater this reliance becomes, the harder it is for Russia to disengage from the war without triggering internal economic and political costs.

Consequently, major components of the Russian system now have material interests tied to the continuation of the conflict: defence manufacturers, recruitment structures, regional patronage networks, sanctioned intermediaries, security services and state-connected businesses. This is an economy seemingly being actively reorganised around coercion, mobilisation and confrontation.

Such dependence on war increases risks across the OSCE area. A state under fiscal strain may rely more heavily on coercive bargaining and brinkmanship. A government whose conventional economic strength is eroding may turn increasingly to asymmetric tools: cyber activity, sabotage, disinformation, political interference, nuclear signalling, attacks on critical infrastructure and sanctions evasion.

The problem is not simply inefficiency, but choice. The Kremlin alone bears responsibility for this war. It chose to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty. It chose to reject peaceful settlement. It is choosing imperial ambition over the welfare of its own people. Its refusal to engage seriously on a ceasefire flows directly from these choices.

The United Kingdom will continue to expose the reality behind Moscow’s claims. Until Russia withdraws its forces, ends its attacks and returns to compliance with its OSCE commitments, we will not be convinced that Russia has any meaningful interest in a lasting peace.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

Statement by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Kumar Iyer, at Singapore’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Mr President.

The United Kingdom welcomes the introduction of the Workplace Fairness Act and its decriminalisation of same-sex acts.

We urge Singapore to become party to the ICCPR, legislate against FGM, replace detention without trial with court trials and consider mental capacity in sentencing.

In the spirit of ongoing dialogue, we recommend:

Introduce a moratorium on executions and move towards abolition, and remove judicial corporal punishment;

Mandate rest periods and create digital recruitment and wage payment processes for foreign domestic workers;

Include protection against discrimination on the grounds of sexuality and gender identity in the Workplace Fairness Act and ensure equal treatment in government policies for LGBT+ persons

We thank the distinguished delegation for their constructive engagement today and wish them all the best for the rest of their review.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

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

The United Kingdom thanks High Representative Christian Schmidt for his dedicated service supporting peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and for his contribution to implementing the Dayton Peace Agreement. 

The Peace Implementation Council will now take forward the selection and appointment of a successor. 

We reiterate our support for a fully empowered High Representative as the cornerstone of civilian implementation of Dayton. 

We remain deeply concerned by the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

As the report sets out, some political actors continue to subvert democratic processes. 

They are obstructing legislative activity and abusing constitutional safeguards, stalling progress on Euro-Atlantic integration and the 5+2 agenda, including state property. 

Recent elections in Republika Srpska were marked by significant electoral fraud. 

With democracy and rule of law under attack, international support remains vital. 

We reiterate the importance of constitutional reform that reflects the needs of all citizens and implements European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence. 

In this election year, we underline the importance of strengthening democratic resilience. 

We support the rollout of election technology as a practical step to reduce fraud and rebuild public confidence in elections. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s future cannot be held hostage by divisive politics. 

Various players are stoking ethnic and religious tensions as a way of advancing their pernicious agendas and stirring up more tension between all of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s communities. 

Divisive rhetoric, including calls for secession or a third entity, is anti-Dayton and risks peace and stability. 

We call on all parties to reject all narratives which deepen divisions and misrepresent the country’s challenges. 

President, Dayton obliges all parties to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Full respect for Dayton remains essential. 

The report and ongoing political challenges underline why the High Representative, including the use of executive powers where necessary, remains vital. 

The Security Council endorsed Dayton under Chapter VII, including the High Representative, who is appointed by the Peace Implementation Council. 

While the United Kingdom supports progress on the 5+2 agenda, those conditions have not yet been met. 

Until they are, the role of the High Representative remains essential to safeguarding Dayton and ensuring peace and stability. 

We call once again on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s politicians to respect Dayton and the constitutional order, focus on practical reforms in the interests of all citizens, and for the international community to support these efforts.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

UK Statement at Solomon Islands’ Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Madam Vice President,

The United Kingdom commends Solomon Islands’ progress in implementing recommendations from its last review, including efforts to combat violence against women and girls through the Family Protection Act and the National Policy to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls (2021 – 2027).

We also welcome steps Solomon Islands has taken to raise awareness of CEDAW at provincial and community levels, and the increased integration of gender perspectives in the context of  disaster risk management planning.

We recommend that Solomon Islands builds on this positive progress by:

1. Amending the Marriage Act 1945 to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years.
2. Adopting the revised Forestry Bill 2004 and Mineral Resources Bill 2025 to safeguard the land rights of local communities against mining and logging.
3. Establishing a National Human Rights Institution in line with the Paris Principles, including by seeking technical assistance.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

UK Statement at Seychelle’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you Madam Vice President,

The United Kingdom welcomes the free and fair elections held in Seychelles in October 2025. But we have concerns around prolonged pre‑trial detention and expanded security powers despite otherwise strong democratic institutions.

The UK welcomes the activities of the Seychelles National Human Rights Commission since the last UPR, including its annual reports in 2024 and 2025. We continue to urge the government to ensure that the Commission is adequately financed and resourced.

We also commend the government for its continued constructive engagement with UN treaty bodies, including the review by the Committee on Migrant Workers in 2024.

We recommend that Seychelles:

1. Conducts an independent investigation on the 5 December 2024 prison riots, with demonstrable steps taken to hold perpetrators to account.
2. Publishes a clear legal and policy framework governing the protection of refugees and migrants, including procedures for identification, access to basic services, and safeguards against arbitrary detention, and reports publicly on steps taken to bring national practice into line with international human rights standards.
3.  Establishes a transparent and time‑bound mechanism for monitoring, responding to and implementing recommendations made by the National Human Rights Commission, including public reporting on progress and outcomes.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

Sarah Spencer, UK Tech Envoy, underlined the opportunities and risks of frontier technologies, stressing responsible governance, partnerships and dialogue through the OSCE. She reaffirmed the UK’s support for Ukraine, condemned Russia’s illegal invasion, and highlighted the OSCE’s role in ensuring technological progress strengthens security, stability and a more humane future.

Thank you Chair and thank you to all the panellists for their insightful remarks.   

I would like to thank Federal Councillor Cassis and the Swiss Chairpersonship for convening us today, and for framing today’s discussions around responsibility and cooperation. In the context of rapidly evolving technologies, strengthening dialogue, reducing misunderstandings and developing common approaches are indispensable to building trust and securing the foundations for security.  

We must however acknowledge the fact that Russia continues its illegal invasion of Ukrainian sovereign territory and Russian troops continue to occupy Ukrainian land. The United Kingdom is committed to a sustainable peace in Ukraine and will continue to stand resolutely with Ukraine and its people. 

Chair, frontier technologies afford multiple opportunities to deliver inclusive development outcomes and improve our impact in addressing humanitarian crises. These technologies are also transforming the security environment at unprecedented pace, increasing risks to national security, conflict escalation, and strategic stability. The development and deployment of artificial intelligence illustrates this tension between opportunity and risk particularly clearly. While AI has the potential to support early warning and early action in humanitarian crises, it can also amplify misinformation and widen instability if misused or deployed without adequate safeguards.  

Capitalising on the opportunities of frontier tech therefore requires innovative partnerships and practical mechanisms, aligned with our shared principles, to safely and responsibly govern frontier technologies and build inclusive, responsible and sustainable digital ecosystems. For the United Kingdom, partnerships between states, institutions, industry and civil society matter more than products in realising the opportunities of technology and innovation. In two weeks, our Foreign Secretary will co-host a major conference in London on the future of international development partnerships – bringing together governments, civil society, and tech leaders, amongst others, to help shape the system for a new era. This includes identifying ways to leverage advanced technologies to accelerate progress on shared global challenges.  

No one sovereign State can rise to this challenge alone. As the world’s largest regional security organisation, the OSCE has a unique role to play fostering dialogue on frontier technologies, supporting anticipatory approaches, and promoting the responsible use of innovation in the service of peace and security. The United Kingdom stands ready to support these efforts, and to work with all participating States to help ensure that technological progress contributes to a safer, more secure and more humane future for all. 

Thank you.