Labour psychodrama is simply not as important as the UK’s diplomatic commitment to its NATO allies.

King Charles’s address to Congress was designed to steady a strained special relationship. Twelve standing ovations later, the Palace had given Downing Street something politics could not: a rare bipartisan moment in Washington and a reminder that royal soft power still has diplomatic bite.

Davos is meant to be the place where the global public affairs class can compress a year of stakeholder management into five days, with a badge, a diary, and a blizzard outside. In 2026 it is also where the public language of cooperation collides with the private mechanics of leverage.

Trump secures ceasefire through dealmakers, but long term peace remains uncertain

The UK has signed an £8 billion deal to sell 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey, assembled by BAE Systems in Lancashire.

President Trump’s new oil sanctions on Russia mark a sharp turn in US policy toward the war in Ukraine.

Reappointed French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unveiled his second cabinet and must deliver the 2026 budget within days. With opposition parties preparing a no-confidence motion and markets showing unease, his government faces a test of survival that could decide the fate of Macron’s presidency and France’s fiscal stability.

Donald Trump’s UK state visit yielded £150 billion in US investment promises across tech, energy and manufacturing sectors. The Tech Prosperity Deal centred on AI and nuclear cooperation. The visit was largely scripted, with the government highlighting economic benefits amid protests and broader geopolitical concerns.

President Lee Jae Myung begins a visit to Washington on 23 August with fifteen senior executives from South Korea’s largest companies. The trip comes ahead of his 25 August summit with President Trump and will address trade, investment pledges, energy purchases and defence cost-sharing between the two countries.

Donald Trump will meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska on 15 August to discuss ending the Ukraine war, including potential territorial swaps. Ukraine and European leaders reject any agreement involving land concessions and insist Kyiv must be part of negotiations. Preparations are under way amid increased diplomatic activity and heightened military vigilance.