In a powerful address marking a century-old peace pact, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has called for a renewed spirit of global cooperation to tackle the world's most pressing conflicts and humanitarian crises in 2026.
The Enduring Lesson of Locarno
Cooper's remarks came during the centenary commemoration of the Locarno Treaties, signed in 1925. She recalled the words of German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann, who, standing in the British Foreign Office, spoke of a shared fate for nations. "If we go down, we go down together; if we are to reach the heights, we do so not by conflict but by common effort," Stresemann had declared.
While the hope from those treaties was fleeting—world war returned within 15 years—Cooper emphasized that the vision of prioritizing cooperation over division remains a crucial guide. She echoed Fridtjof Nansen's 1926 description of the "Locarno spirit" as an attempt to base politics on mutual friendship and trust.
Urgent Priorities: Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine
Turning to contemporary crises, Cooper outlined three areas where this cooperative spirit is desperately needed.
On the Middle East, she stressed that the most urgent priority must be to open all crossings, lift restrictions, and flood Gaza with aid. "As long as children are going hungry, and young mothers cannot get basic care," she stated, this action is non-negotiable. She backed the US-led peace plan from September 2025 and the subsequent UN Security Council resolution, which mandates an International Stabilization Force. Cooper reiterated the UK's stance that implementation must respect Palestinian sovereignty and strengthen the path toward a two-state solution.
Regarding Sudan, Cooper highlighted a catastrophic situation: over 30 million people need lifesaving aid, 12 million are displaced, and famine is spreading. She pointed to a UK-led UN Human Rights Council resolution passed in November 2025, demanding an immediate ceasefire and investigations into atrocities. "The message was clear: impunity will not be tolerated," she asserted.
On Ukraine, Cooper condemned Russia's ongoing war of aggression, nearly four years after the full-scale invasion. She noted that despite a million Russian casualties and an ailing economy, President Vladimir Putin refuses peace. The UK, she affirmed, will continue its support within the "coalition of the willing," providing weapons, air-defense systems, and backing sanctions to target Russian war revenues. "Ukraine's security is Europe's security," Cooper declared.
A Rejection of Isolationism
Cooper warned against the temptation to retreat into isolationism in the face of complex, long-term challenges. She listed a broader set of global issues, including climate change, AI governance, economic insecurity, and pandemic preparedness, that demand collective action.
"A retreat into isolationism will not help any country, let alone the world as a whole, deal with these challenges," Cooper concluded. "It is only through international cooperation and the power of joint action that we will succeed." Invoking Nansen's century-old wisdom, she urged the world to stand united in a sincere desire to work together, stating it is high time to act accordingly.
