Global order is “under threat in a way we have not seen since the Cold War”, UK intelligence and US foreign affairs chiefs have warned.
MI6 and CIA chiefs also said the two countries stood together “in the fight against a strong Russia and Putin’s war in Ukraine”.
In the first joint article, Sir Richard Moore and William Burns he wrote in the Financial Times that they saw the war in Ukraine coming “and were able to warn the international community”, partly by leaking secrets to help Kyiv.
And they say there is work to be done to “disrupt the reckless campaign of destruction” across Europe by Russia, to push for a de-escalation of the Israel-Gaza war, and to fight terrorism to prevent a resurgent Islamic State (IS).
The two made their first public appearance at a security conference in London on Saturday.
In an FT op-ed, they wrote: “There is no doubt that the global world order – a balanced system that has led to relative peace and stability and delivered rising living standards, opportunity and prosperity – is under threat like never before. not seen since the Cold War.”
“Effectively combating this threat” is fundamental to the special relationship between the UK and the US, they added.
One of the “unprecedented threats” by both countries is the war in Ukraine, which is now in its third year after the invasion of Russia in February 2022.
Sir Richard and Mr Burns said “staying the course is more important than ever” when it comes to supporting Ukraine, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin “will not succeed”.
They continued: “Outside of Ukraine, we continue to work together to disrupt the reckless campaign of sabotage across Europe by the Russian intelligence service, and its misuse of technology to spread lies and murder designed to divide us.”
Both foreign intelligence services see China’s rise as the biggest intelligence and geopolitical challenge of the century. They have restructured their services to “reflect that first”, they added.
The two also said they were “very committed” to restraint and de-escalation in the Middle East, and were working “relentlessly” to secure a cease-fire and hostage-taking deal.
It has been 11 months since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 others.
More than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then in Israel’s ongoing military campaign, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the area.
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