In her Lecture Dame Deborah will discuss the current situation in Russia and highlight the importance - perhaps particularly in times of tension and however difficult this may be - of seeking to maintain channels for communication and planning for the future. This meant that, despite serious disagreements, during Dame Deborah’s time in post the UK government after February 2022 continued to maintain direct contact with the Russian government including through the British Embassy in Moscow.
Dame Deborah will also look ahead to the future beyond the war, and consider the prospects for a different bilateral relationship and how and under what conditions the UK and Russia might begin to rebuild, including the possibility of again working together on some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as the tackling of climate change, the eradication of poverty and the fight against international terrorism. She will note the benefit in the meantime of maintaining people to people links. Many Russians remain interested in the United Kingdom, in learning English and in travelling to the UK – just as many people in the UK are still fascinated by Russia and Russian culture (Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, for example, remaining the longest-running ballet production in the UK). It is worth appreciating the degree of cultural traction the UK still has in Russia and using this to reach out to Russia and ordinary Russians.
This will be a wonderful opportunity to hear from a highly experienced and distinguished diplomat, who has had dealings with the Russian government during an extremely difficult period and who will be able to provide, from her own perspective, her assessment of the current situation and of the future potential development of the UK-Russia relationship.
Dame Deborah Bronnert, DCMG was the UK’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation from January 2020 to November 2023.
Previously, Deborah Bronnert was Director General, Economic and Consular, at the FCO from 2017-2019, including responsibility for Europe and Asia. Prior to that, she was the FCO’s Chief Operating Officer, from 2014-2016, responsible for delivering the staff, estate, tools, services and the events the Foreign and Commonwealth Office requires to achieve its Foreign Policy Priorities. Deborah was also a Trustee of the British Council (2015-2019).
Before joining the FCO Board as COO, Deborah spent three years in Zimbabwe as UK Ambassador (2011-14). She has also previously served in Moscow (2002-05), been a member of a European Commissioner’s Cabinet (1995-99) and served at the UK Representation to the EU in Brussels (1991-93). In London, Deborah has been Director Global and Economic Issues, then Prosperity, the UK’s G8 Foreign Affairs Sous Sherpa, as well as Head, Deputy Head and Desk Officer in various Departments. She started her career in the Department of the Environment. She was a non-Executive Director for the charity Merlin from 2010-13.
Her first degree is in Mathematics (Bristol University); she also has a Masters in the Political Economy of Russia and Eastern Europe (UCL).
