Coffee House Shots International statesman or 'never here Keir'?
8 snips
Jan 6, 2026 
Political editor Tim Shipman and journalist James Heale dive deep into the complexities of Keir Starmer's foreign policy approach. They discuss the implications of the Labour leader's handling of Venezuela and his current focus on Ukraine, questioning whether too much international travel might alienate domestic concerns. Tim highlights the challenges within European coalition dynamics on Ukraine, while James critiques Starmer’s reluctance to engage more with domestic politics. Their lively discussion reveals the intricate balance between global diplomacy and local priorities.
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Ukraine Trumps Other Foreign Issues
- Western governments prioritise Ukraine over condemning other actions like Venezuela to keep Trump aligned on the bigger threat of Putin.
- That strategic silence reflects choosing practical influence on Ukraine over moralizing unrelated interventions.
Europe's Limited Military Leverage
- Europe lacks the unified military capacity to shape a post-ceasefire Ukraine outcome and often appears peripheral to US-led diplomacy.
- That makes the so-called "coalition of the willing" sometimes more the coalition of the unwilling.
Foreign Trips Are Political Escapes
- Prime ministers often prefer foreign travel because it feels more rewarding and collegial than domestic politics.
- Such international focus is traditionally a second-term indulgence, but Starmer faces immediate global turbulence.
