Fiona Hill is an influential foreign policy expert and long-time chronicler of Kremlin intrigues. Last month, she warned that the UK is being outmaneuvered on the global stage. The 59-year-old dual national, originally from County Durham, has played significant roles in both the British government and within the Trump administration. Her observations underscore the mounting dangers the United Kingdom is facing from Russia. Beyond that, I love how she highlights the different layers in its relationship with the U.S.
Hill served as the White House’s chief Russia adviser during Donald Trump’s first term, providing expertise on the complexities of Russian politics. She has played a key role in influencing strategies for the British government, especially regarding countering national security threats. Recently, she was part of a team reporting to key Labour figures including Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, and Defence Secretary John Healey on a strategic defence review.
In her analysis, Hill underscored the role of economic dislocation in driving national populism. As she explained it, deindustrialization and increasing inequality in both Russia and the United States have been central to its emergence. This trend, she contends, shapes sovereignty’s future political battlegrounds and threatens both countries’ internal and external stability.
Hill warned that the UK needs to develop more of a sense of internal cohesion to truly be strong enough to weather these unknowns. She emphasized that Britain needed to learn how to handle its most important friend, the United States. She highlighted just how different that relationship is and called for a “new mindset.” This new approach needs to include the tried-and-true tenets of defense, but it must create social resiliency.
When Hill thought back on her experiences, she thought back on the very first warnings she issued in 2015 about the UK’s geopolitical landscape. In a newly updated edition of her book, she had collaborated with Clifford Gaddy to further explore the layers of complication that is Vladimir Putin. Collectively, they described dangers they didn’t yet have the foresight to realize. These views have turned out to be extraordinarily prescient as geopolitical tensions have heated up.
Additionally, Hill has emphasized how much of a changing threat Russia is. She contended that Russia has in fact become more radicalized and belligerent than many analysts had foreseen. This metric shows the UK must urgently reassess its defensive position. It’s a strong exhortation to revamp our diplomatic approaches in light of these advances.
Her extraordinary expertise was in full display during the impeachment hearing of Donald Trump in 2019. She provided essential perspectives on the ongoing story of Russian interference and its impact on American foreign policy.