Ukraine’s victory at Eurovision last year was the first time a country engaged in full-scale war has won the competition. However, such circumstances have ultimately resulted in runners up Britain organising the event this May. How did this come about and how does the UK plan to promote Ukraine during this year’s Eurovision?

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has attracted more controversy than his predecessors when it comes to Ukraine. Most renowned for his business credentials, the UK’s new leader has pursued a quieter approach to the conflict. However, does this reality amount to a simple change in style or a fundamental shift?

The death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has led to an outpouring of tributes from around the world. In this regard, Central and Eastern Europe has been no exception. Such a response is emblematic of a human relationship that increasingly transcended politics.

The downfall of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could not have come at a worse time for a besieged Ukraine. Now planning a major counteroffensive, the Zelenskyy administration had come to rely on the outgoing UK leader for arms and diplomatic support. The ongoing contest to succeed Johnson in the autumn will decide the future contours of this extensive bilateral relationship.

The Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine has upended its bilateral links with countries around the world. This is no clearer than in the United Kingdom, which has forged a rather contradictory relationship with Russia over the past few decades. British politicians are now faced with pursuing a clean break with this peculiar status quo in response to today’s exceptional circumstances.

It has not been an easy winter for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Whether it is overlooking a friend’s paid lobbying or lockdown parties at Downing Street, the British leader has often found himself in the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons. This uncertain domestic situation has had a drastic effect on the fortunes of his own Conservative Party, with recent by-election results often turning in favour of opposition parties. Polls now show steady support for the Labour Party for the first time since Johnson’s landslide election victory in late 2019. Nevertheless, the famously resilient Boris continues to hold on to his job.

A climate summit may not be the most obvious place for regional states to make their diplomatic mark. Certainly, the area’s capitals have often been viewed as simply disinterested in such matters. Despite this, November’s pivotal COP26 talks have seemingly sparked a new wave of political engagement.

Ongoing debate surrounding the United Kingdom’s relations with the Balkans has naturally been dominated by its withdrawal from the European Union. Despite this, a recent charm offensive in Serbia may prove to be a turning point for Britain’s wider ambitions in the area.

Whilst the United Kingdom negotiates a new relationship with its more immediate neighbours, the Kremlin has also proven to be a regular fixture in British politics.