David Cameron, who was made Foreign Secretary in a surprise move by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his cabinet reshuffle on November 13, is now Britain’s top diplomat at a time when major wars are raging in Ukraine and Gaza, and while China is attempting to increase its influence in the Global South.
The UK, now free of the restrictive geopolitical parameters of EU membership, will boost its development and energy security strategy.
Cameron has already visited Jerusalem where he met with Israeli leaders and families of the hostages, talked with Palestinian leaders and aid agencies, and chaired a meeting of Arab and Islamic leaders in London on the situation in the Middle East.
In Ukraine, his first trip in his new role, Cameron saw first-hand how the Ukrainian military is pushing back Russian forces in the Black Sea, noting that this has opened vital sea trade routes that will ensure grain is able to reach the world’s most vulnerable.
On November 28, Cameron returned to Brussels for a NATO Foreign Ministers meeting to discuss issues including ammunition supply to Ukraine and the alliance’s continued presence in Kosovo.
At a gathering of the NATO-Ukraine Council on 29 November, the Foreign Secretary was due to update his counterparts on his recent visit to Kyiv and underline that the UK remains firmly behind Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, urging the Western allies not to waver in their support.
Cameron will also set out the need for Sweden’s urgent accession to the NATO Alliance, stating that the agreement would mark a critical step forward in strengthening peace and stability in Europe.
“NATO keeps over one billion people safe and secure. And nearly 75 years on, the Alliance is stronger than ever. Russian President Vladimir Putin first believed that NATO would be divided, and that Ukraine would crumble. Now he believes he can wait out his war in Ukraine. He was wrong then and he is wrong now,” Cameron said. “Together, the UK and our NATO allies will never turn a blind eye to Russian aggression. The UK will continue to be a steadfast supporter of Ukraine and a champion for European peace and stability.”
Cameron made a surprise return to frontline politics this month when he became the UK’s Foreign Secretary. He brings a wealth of experience and hopefully common sense around the table, UK MP Chris Skidmore told NE Global in an interview. “I think he is not an ideological politician, and he will hopefully inspire more trust.”
Skidmore said members of the British Parliament are deeply concerned about the growing influence of China, noting that certain parliamentarians have set up a China research group that includes the former leader of the Conservative Party, Iain Duncan Smith.
“There are seven members of parliament who are banned from entering China because they have spoken out against China and that is a concern and obviously the Chinese ambassador is now banned from attending the British parliament because of this situation,” Skidmore said.