Speaking on the sidelines of the Delphi Economic Forum, Sir Simon Fraser — President of Chatham House and former Permanent Under-Secretary of the UK Foreign Office — spoke with To Vima‘s defence correspondent, Manos Karatarakis, about the new chapter in London–Brussels relations, the challenges facing European defence, and geopolitical instability from Ukraine to the Middle East.
Sir Simon Fraser confirmed the intention of Keir Starmer’s government to pursue a meaningful reset of relations with Brussels, noting that “the government always said it wanted to do what is called a ‘reset’ in the relationship with the EU, and now there is greater momentum behind that.” He explained that this momentum is expected to peak at the July summit, with the aim of closer cooperation in trade and energy. He also stressed that “we believe Europe is an attractive and stable market,” emphasising the UK’s need to redefine its role on the continent, both commercially and politically.
Defence and European Autonomy
Particularly notable were his comments on defence cooperation and European armaments programmes. Despite the technical obstacles that have hindered UK participation in initiatives such as RearmEU, Fraser stressed that the strategic priority remains joint action. “I think it is really important not to let these kinds of technical discussions get in the way of the long-term priority, which is that Europeans need to work more effectively together on the defence agenda,” he said.
Addressing NATO’s role and the US stance, he expressed the need to develop autonomous European capabilities. “I think we all feel that we cannot rely on the United States with the same automatic expectation we had in the past. So we need to cover ourselves somehow,” he stated, highlighting the need for a stronger European role within the Alliance.
On the war in Ukraine, Fraser defended London’s firm stance toward Moscow, describing British policy as a necessary response to a flagrant violation of sovereignty. He noted that the consistency of British diplomacy is crucial, especially at a time when American support for Kyiv shows signs of uncertainty. According to the Chatham House President, resisting Russian aggression is part of a collective European response that protects the future of the entire continent.
The “Special Relationship” with the US and International Investment
Despite the historic “special relationship” with the United States, Sir Simon Fraser also touched on points of friction, such as Washington’s position on Iran. “We did not understand why that war started and we did not understand what the exit plan was,” he observed candidly.
In closing, he referred to the UK’s investment strategy, emphasising that the United Kingdom remains open to global partnerships aimed at stimulating growth through a two-way flow of capital.
