- Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that Russia 's deteriorating performance on the battlefield in Ukraine is rendering it "more reckless and dangerous," declaring that the post-Cold War "peace dividend" has vanished.
- Speaking after a Nato foreign ministers' meeting in Sweden, Ms Cooper highlighted escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, increasing hybrid threats across the continent, and reports of drone incursions as evidence of Moscow's growing unpredictability.
- Her stark assessment follows a recent incident where London made formal representations to Moscow after two Russian jets intercepted an unarmed RAF spy plane over the Black Sea, with one flying so close it triggered emergency systems and disabled the autopilot.
- Ms Cooper stressed the imperative to increase defence and security capabilities and maintain support for Ukraine, advocating for a stronger Europe within Nato, which she described as the "most successful defensive alliance in history."
- Separately, Sir Keir Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a virtual meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, where they vowed to "double down on their support" for Ukraine and work towards a "just and lasting peace."
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