Canada

Turkey

South Korea

Europe

France

United Kingdom

Economics

Military & Security

EU ambassadors discussed whether the bloc’s 150 billion euro ($176 billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loan facility for defense investments and joint procurement could be used to finance arms purchases from the United Kingdom and Canada, with France pushing to cap such purchases at 50% of their value to prioritize EU-based defense manufacturers, Euractiv reported on Sept. 12.

EU: Member States Debate Third-Country Participation in SAFE Defense Joint Procurement Initiative

Spain

Global Trade

Politics

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is in London for his first bilateral meeting with his British counterpart Keir Starmer, The Guardian reported on Sept. 3.

U.K., Spain: Sanchez and Starmer to Sign Strategic Agreement in London

United States

Iran

Israel

Germany

U.S.-Iran Relations

The United Kingdom, France and Germany -- collectively known as the E3 --== launched the process to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran that were removed as part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action deal using the snapback sanctions mechanism, Reuters reported Aug. 28. 

Iran: Germany, France, U.K. Launch Snapback Sanction Mechanism on Iran

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with officials from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, known collectively as the E3, during the week of Aug. 24-30 to discuss nuclear negotiations and sanctions, Reuters reported on Aug. 22. 

Iran: Tehran To Discuss Nuclear, Sanctions Issues With Germany, France, U.K.

China

The United Kingdom's Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit China in the second week of September, marking the first meeting of the U.K.-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission since its suspension in 2019, Politico reported on Aug. 19.

U.K., China: U.K. Business and Trade Secretary Reynolds To Visit Beijing in September

Cyber

The United Kingdom walked back a demand for Apple to provide law enforcement with a backdoor that could circumvent encryption for any users' data stored in the company's cloud services, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated in a social media post on X on Aug. 18.

U.K., U.S.: London Abandons Order for Apple To Create Backdoor in Encryption Services 

Australia

Japan

Australia's Defense Ministry announced on Aug. 5 that Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries had won a contract worth upward of $6.5 billion to supply the Royal Australian Navy with 11 advanced frigates, marking Japan's first major export deal for warships.

Japan, Australia: Frigate Deal To Expedite Naval Buildouts, Integrate Japan Into Western Security Networks

Australia's and the United Kingdom's defense ministers agreed on a 50-year bilateral treaty to underpin joint nuclear-powered submarine development, industrial cooperation, workforce training and rotational basing under AUKUS Pillar I, the Australian Financial Review reported on July 25.

Australia, U.K.: Canberra, London Sign 50-Year Submarine Treaty Amid AUKUS Review

Snapshots

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer departs 10 Downing Street on Sept. 3 in London. The Labour Party's deputy leadership contest will intensify internal party criticism of Starmer ahead of a politically painful budget in November.

The Labour Party's deputy leadership contest will intensify internal party criticism of Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of a politically painful budget in November. 

The Contest for Deputy Leader of UK Labour Will Intensify the Party's Woes

Assessments

Ethiopia

Brazil

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2025.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: France's Bayrou Faces a Confidence Vote, Ethiopia Inaugurates Its Mega-Dam

Taiwan

Thailand

The Maanshan nuclear power plant is seen next to a beach in Pingtung, in southern Taiwan, on April 29, 2025.

The Weekly Rundown: Iran Meets With European Powers, Taiwan Holds a Nuclear Referendum

Ukraine

Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump on April 24 in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. In an interview July 10, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he would "have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday," perhaps representing a shift in his administration's policy.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: Trump Speaks on Ukraine, Sweeping EU Budget Reform

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a press conference on July 10, 2025, in London.

The series of agreements will deepen cooperation between Europe's two nuclear powers at a time of strategic flux and institutional fragmentation across the Continent.

New U.K.-France Defense Deals Mark a Step Toward a European Nuclear Deterrent

The Weekly Rundown: Netanyahu's U.S. Visit, a Franco-British Summit

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and British Defense Secretary John Healey sit together for the AUKUS Defense Ministers Meeting at Old Royal Naval College on Sept. 26, 2024, in London, England.

Despite growing U.S. skepticism, strong imperatives to counter China's maritime presence will likely lead Washington to see a revised version of the AUKUS defense pact through.

U.S. Review of AUKUS Pillar I Puts Pact on Shaky Ground

Sub-Saharan Africa

Italy

Rescue teams work at damaged buildings in Nobonyad Square following Israeli airstrikes on June 13, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. 

The Weekly Rundown: G7 Leaders' Summit, More Israeli Attacks on Iran

An image shows a row of flags from the G7 members.

The June 15-17 summit will provide an opportunity for the bloc to discuss trade tensions and the war in Ukraine, but the meeting is more likely to expose transatlantic divisions over Trump's tariffs and reluctance to pressure Russia.

What To Expect From the First G7 Summit Following Trump's Return to the White House

A digital illustration of the U.K. and EU flags.

The agreements will institutionalize defense cooperation and ease trade frictions, though lingering political constraints will limit deeper integration in the near term.

The U.K.-EU Deal Signals a Strategic Recalibration of Post-Brexit Trade and Defense Relations

South Africa

Portugal

Poland

Romania

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 21 during an official trip to the United States.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's U.S. Reset, Three European Elections

U.S. President Donald Trump -- flanked by Vice President JD Vance (left) and Peter Mandelson, the U.K. ambassador to the United States (right) -- holds a phone call with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office of the White House on May 8, 2025. 

The agreement's narrow scope and quota system suggest the White House remains intent on restricting imports, meaning tariff relief for most other countries reaching deals will also be limited.

Trump Reaches First Post-Tariff Trade Deal With the U.K.

<p>The United Kingdom is located in Northwestern Europe and includes the island of Great Britain, surrounding islands and part of Ireland. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the English Channel. The rugged coastline &mdash; around 12,500 kilometers long &mdash; and surrounding waters, covering important oil and gas reserves, offer the nation protection; particularly from rivals in continental Europe. The United Kingdom&#39;s main geographic challenge is the integration of the British Isles. The rugged topography of the islands fostered the development of strong regional identities. Competing regions like Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland make it difficult to maintain control from the core region in the fertile lowlands around London. When British governments overcome domestic divisions, they can turn their attention outward. Control over the surrounding seas was vital for dominance of the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean, and from there, the development of the British Empire. Substantial coal and iron deposits along with an intricate river and canal system were among the factors that drove the country to lead the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s. The dominance of the Royal Navy gave Britain control of the oceans and global trade. The United Kingdom&#39;s detachment from continental Europe offers protection since a united European empire could challenge the country&#39;s independence. Having a voice in the European Union and strong military and economic ties with the United States help London counter this potential threat.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

EU: Member States Debate Third-Country Participation in SAFE Defense Joint Procurement Initiative

U.K., Spain: Sanchez and Starmer to Sign Strategic Agreement in London

Iran: Germany, France, U.K. Launch Snapback Sanction Mechanism on Iran

Iran: Tehran To Discuss Nuclear, Sanctions Issues With Germany, France, U.K.

U.K., China: U.K. Business and Trade Secretary Reynolds To Visit Beijing in September

U.K., U.S.: London Abandons Order for Apple To Create Backdoor in Encryption Services

Japan, Australia: Frigate Deal To Expedite Naval Buildouts, Integrate Japan Into Western Security Networks

Australia, U.K.: Canberra, London Sign 50-Year Submarine Treaty Amid AUKUS Review

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