Image: Sir Richard Moore and William Burns sat together at an FT event on Saturday

By Smartencyclopedia with Agencies

The international world order faces a threat unlike any since the Cold War, according to a joint warning from the heads of the UK and US foreign intelligence services.

In an unprecedented move, Sir Richard Moore, the head of MI6, and William Burns, director of the CIA, co-authored an article in the Financial Times highlighting the urgent risks posed by an increasingly assertive Russia and its ongoing war in Ukraine. They also emphasized the deep collaboration between their two nations in confronting these challenges.

The two intelligence chiefs noted that they had foreseen the war in Ukraine and played a key role in preparing the international community. By declassifying sensitive intelligence, they said, the UK and US were able to assist Kyiv in resisting Russia’s aggression.

“There is no question that the international world order – the balanced system that has led to relative peace and stability and delivered rising living standards, opportunities, and prosperity – is under threat in a way we haven’t seen since the Cold War,” they wrote.

Russia’s Aggressive Campaign

The joint article also underlined the ongoing efforts to “disrupt the reckless campaign of sabotage” across Europe led by Russia. The intelligence leaders detailed coordinated efforts to counter Moscow’s influence, which has involved covert sabotage operations aimed at destabilizing European energy and infrastructure.

Rising Global Tensions

Beyond Russia, the op-ed addressed other destabilizing forces, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the resurgence of Islamic State (IS) terrorism. According to Moore and Burns, efforts to prevent escalation in the ongoing Israel-Gaza war are a high priority, along with counterterrorism operations designed to thwart IS’s resurgence in the Middle East and beyond.

The article concluded by reaffirming the significance of the “special relationship” between the UK and the US, emphasizing that this enduring partnership is fundamental to combating a wide array of global threats.