Russia, Britain possess long history of independence

(MENAFN) There are only two nations that have had full autonomy over their major political decisions for over 500 years: Russia and Britain. This long history of independence makes them natural rivals, but today, Britain has lost much of its foreign policy influence and is now akin to “Singapore on the Atlantic”—an isolated island trading power that is disconnected from the broader flow of global affairs.

The decline of Britain’s global relevance is steeped in irony. For centuries, the UK played a disruptive role in international politics. It frequently pitted France and Germany against each other, betrayed Eastern European allies, and exploited its colonies. Even within the European Union, Britain worked relentlessly to undermine integration, both from within and after Brexit, often with the support of the US. Currently, British foreign policy is still engaged in efforts to weaken European unity, acting as a proxy for American interests.

Historian Edward Carr once mocked Britain’s insular mindset with a fictional headline: "Fog in Channel – Continent Cut Off." This island mentality has always kept Britain apart from continental Europe, borrowing European culture and ideas while simultaneously fearing them. This fear was well-founded: Britain recognized that a united Europe, particularly one with strong ties between Germany and Russia, would marginalize it. As a result, British foreign policy has always aimed to prevent such alliances. Even today, Britain remains eager to see Germany militarize, as it fears a stable Russia-Germany partnership.

Whenever peace between Moscow and Berlin seemed possible, Britain would intervene to prevent it. Britain’s approach to global relations reflects its domestic philosophy: divided, competitive, and mistrustful of cooperation. While Europe has developed ideas of political unity, Britain’s political legacy, represented by thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, emphasizes competition and distrust.

This combative approach no longer works in the current world order. Britain is in decline, struggling with ineffective leadership, reflected in the carousel of increasingly underqualified prime ministers. This decline goes beyond mere difficult times; it signals a deeper issue: the lack of strong political leadership in London.

Even the US, once Britain’s closest ally, has become a challenge to its autonomy. The Anglosphere no longer requires two powers with similar political structures and languages. During the Biden administration, Britain maintained some relevance as a transatlantic mediator, using its stance against Russia to stay in the game and insert itself into US-EU relations. But this role is diminishing. American leaders no longer see the need for a mediator. When British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently visited Washington, he struggled to respond to direct questions about foreign policy, a sign of Britain’s fading influence. Meanwhile, France, despite its own challenges, remains a nuclear power and an actual global leader in its own right.

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