U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in the UK for a working visit with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, as political tensions and protests loom over U.S. foreign policy.
JD Vance began his visit on Friday with a meeting at Chevening, the official residence of Foreign Secretary David Lammy, where the two are expected to discuss the crises in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as trade issues.
The visit comes at a time of heightened transatlantic tensions and scrutiny of Vance’s foreign policy stance, including past remarks criticising Britain’s Labour government. In a previous interview, he described the UK as “maybe” the first “truly Islamist” country with nuclear weapons and accused it of curbing religious liberties.
Lammy, who once called Donald Trump a “neo-Nazi,” has downplayed past rhetoric, and officials say the two men have formed a cordial relationship, bonding over shared faith and challenging upbringings. Lammy visited Vance’s Washington residence for Mass in March, and the pair met again in Rome in May at the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV.
Vance is accompanied by his wife, Usha, and their three children. They are due to stay in the Cotswolds following the official programme, which includes cultural visits and a meeting with U.S. troops.
The bilateral meeting on Friday does not have a formal agenda, but British officials hope to present the UK’s perspective on global conflicts without escalating differences. “They’re not looking for conflict,” said Bronwen Maddox of Chatham House, noting the UK’s satisfaction with a recent trade deal with the Trump administration.
Vance’s visit follows former President Trump’s recent trip to Scotland, during which he met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to finalise a 15% tariff deal on European goods. Trump is scheduled for a full state visit to the UK in September.
Vance is expected to face demonstrations in the coming days from a coalition of trade unions, pro-Palestinian groups and climate activists, echoing similar protests during his winter holiday in Vermont.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region, according to the Saudi-led coalition fight...
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Châtelet-Les Halles areas from 11pm Saturday until 6am Sunday (1 November).
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education and living costs. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment