No agenda, big stakes: Vance's UK visit eyes Ukraine, Gaza, and trade

US Vice President JD Vance is set to begin a visit to the United Kingdom on August 8 with a meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, drawing fresh attention to Vance’s past criticisms of the UK and its newly elected Labour government.

According to the foreign press, Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha and their three children, will arrive in London before heading to Chevening, the official country residence of the British foreign minister, where they will stay with Lammy. 

The family will also spend time in the Cotswolds, a scenic area of the English countryside known for attracting celebrities and political elites.

The visit comes at a time of heightened tension between Washington and London, domestic political shifts on both sides of the Atlantic, and growing interest in Vance’s foreign policy stance as he takes on an increasingly influential role in President Donald Trump’s administration.

According to a source familiar with the preparations, the trip is classified as a working visit, including a series of official meetings, cultural excursions, and an expected visit with US military personnel stationed in the UK.

Vance, a staunch advocate of Trump's “America First” foreign policy, has sparked controversy with past remarks about the UK. Following Labour’s 2024 election victory, he suggested Britain had become “maybe the first truly Islamist” nuclear power. He also accused the UK government of attacking religious freedoms and curbing free speech.

Lammy, for his part, had previously referred to Trump as a “far right extremist” and a “neo-Nazi,” though he has since dismissed those comments as “old news.” Despite their ideological clashes, Vance and Lammy have reportedly formed a personal bond over shared experiences of hardship in their youth and a common Christian faith. According to two officials, Lammy attended a Mass at the vice president’s Washington residence in March, and the two men also met in Rome in May during Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass.

While no formal agenda has been set for Friday’s bilateral meeting, officials say the two are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and trade relations. London has been lobbying Trump’s administration to maintain support for Kyiv and intensify efforts to ease suffering in Gaza. Still, Lammy is unlikely to press the US vice president too forcefully, said Bronwen Maddox, director of the Chatham House think tank.

“It’s an opportunity to present the UK’s perspective, not to confront,” Maddox said, adding that British officials are generally satisfied with the current trade deal under Trump. “The UK is happy to maintain relationships with the Trump administration wherever possible — and I don’t mean that cynically.”

Vance’s visit follows closely on the heels of Trump’s private trip to Scotland, where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. That visit resulted in a trade framework agreement imposing a 15% tariff on most EU imports.

Trump is also scheduled for a full state visit to the UK in September, making him the first elected foreign leader in modern history to be honoured with two state visits by a British monarch.

Earlier this year, Vance's winter holiday in Vermont was disrupted by protestors opposing the administration’s immigration policies and stance on Ukraine. British trade unions, pro-Palestinian groups, and climate activists are now reportedly preparing demonstrations during his stay in the UK.

By Tamilla Hasanova