Olly Robbins

Oliver Robbins has been the Permanent Under-Secretary at the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) since January 2025.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Wishing Neil in Ukraine, and all British diplomats around the world, a merry Christmas. I’m immensely proud of the dedication of colleagues at home and abroad, UK-based and country-based, but my thoughts today are especially with colleagues serving far from home and family.

[British Ambassador to Ukraine 🇬🇧🇺🇦 @UKAmbUkraine]

Merry Christmas from Kyiv!

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Pleased to welcome @YvetteCooperMP to @FCDOGovUK this evening. The Foreign Secretary has a vital portfolio in a turbulent world. She has an exceptional department ready to support her to deliver.

[Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office @FCDOGovUK]

❝I am honoured to have been appointed as Foreign Secretary.

UK diplomacy has never been more important.

I look forward to representing and promoting British interests around the world.❞

– Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Great to review the UK / Norway Strategic Partnership in Oslo today with Secretary General Torgeir Larsen & team for our annual dialogue with @NorwayMFA. Good to meet @UKinNorway team afterwards & thank them & @JanThompsonFCDO for their work to deepen this important relationship.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Great to see @TomDrewUK taking up the reins at @UKinFrance. Looking forward to working with him to capitalise on the momentum from July’s wonderful State Visit by @EmmanuelMacron and the successful UK / France Summit hosted by @10DowningStreet.

[Thomas Drew @TomDrewUK]

C’est officiel. I’m now formally Ambassador.

[Scott McDonald @McDonaldScott_]

As many of you know, our office in #Kyiv has been severely damaged. It will remain closed to the public until further notice. Thankfully, our colleagues are all safe. Our work with our Ukrainian partners in education and culture will continue uninterrupted. As I told the Guardian, Russian missiles will not halt our support for the Ukrainian people: https://t.co/hD46kdZ20c

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Incredibly proud of the professionalism and resilience of the @UKinUkraine team under Lottie Surun’s leadership as Chargée. Appalling to see the damage to the @BritishCouncil office in Kyiv, and grateful for the dedication of our @uaBritish colleagues.

[UK in Ukraine 🇬🇧🇺🇦 @UKinUkraine]

Last night Russia launched strikes killing innocent civilians including children.

Our thoughts are with those affected by these ruthless attacks, which also damaged the @uaBritish building. This is unnacceptable.

Russia is showing once again it is not serious about peace.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Brilliant to see @KumarIyerUK taking the reins at one of @FCDOGovUK ‘s most varied and globally influential posts.

[UK Mission Geneva 🇬🇧 @UKMissionGeneva]

We’re so excited to welcome @KumarIyerUK

The UK’s 🇬🇧 Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the @WTO, @UNGeneva 🇺🇳, and other International Organisations here in Geneva

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Great to see this quick follow-up to the productive talks @amdescotes and I held recently. Thank you @AmbDuchene and @UKinFrance!

[Hélène Duchêne @AmbDuchene]

At @FCDOGovUK this morning, @JulienSteimer & I spoke to Sarah Russell & Olivier Evans about the transformation of our diplomatic apparatuses amid the rapidly-changing international situation. Our talks followed the meeting between @amdescotes & @OllyRobbins a few weeks ago.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

A pleasure to meet Deputy Minister Ambassador Bozay with @JillMorrisFCDO and discuss the strength and breadth of the Türkiye/UK partnership as well as exchanging views on shared geopolitical challenges. Thank you for the warm welcome @MFATurkiye and the support from @UKinTurkiye.

[Turkish MFA @MFATurkiye]

Deputy Minister and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay met with Sir Oliver Robbins, the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom for the Strategic Dialogue meeting in Ankara. During the meeting, bilateral relations and regional issues were discussed.

[Ed Llewellyn @EdLlewellynFCDO]

30 years since the genocide at Srebrenica. I accompanied Paddy Ashdown to Srebrenica often when I worked for him as High Representative in Bosnia. I will never forget what I saw in that valley or the raw pain of the families. We honour the memory of the victims of this evil

[UK Joint Delegation to NATO @UKNATO]

The transatlantic bond makes #NATO the strongest alliance in history

Ambassador @ACWLapsley 🇬🇧 and @USAmbNATO 🇺🇸 met Permanent Under-Secretary @OllyRobbins at the @FCDOGovUK ahead of the #NATOSummit 🇳🇱

Welcome to London, Ambassador! 💂

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Headed to Glasgow last night for today’s opening morning of #CivilServiceLive, talking about learning & development with civil servants from across the @UKCivilService in Scotland. Good to spend the afternoon catching up with the @FCDOGovUK team at our joint HQ in East Kilbride.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Great two days in India, with the centrepiece being consultations with Vikram Misri, my Indian opposite number. So much potential across the India-UK partnership. Many thanks to @Lindy_Cameron, @CScottFCDO and the whole @UKinIndia team.

[UK in India🇬🇧🇮🇳 @UKinIndia]

FCDO PUS @OllyRobbins is in New Delhi to review progress across the 🇬🇧🇮🇳 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Our Prime Ministers share a vision for an ambitious partnership over the next decade.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

@FCDOGovUK @UKinOman @ukinqatar @OmanObserver @npatelFCDO Fascinating to get a brief flavour of both 🇴🇲 and 🇶🇦 - countries with strong traditions and deep historical relationships with 🇬🇧 which have evolved into important modern partnerships.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Great to accompany @DavidLammy on his visits to Oman and Qatar this weekend. Glimpses of two important partnerships with long histories and bright futures.

[Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office @FCDOGovUK]

Boosting growth.
Building stability.
Countering Iran’s malign activity.
Bringing the war in Gaza to an end.

That's why Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy visited Oman and Qatar this weekend ⬇️

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

@FCDOGovUK @UKinOman @ukinqatar @OmanObserver … and exciting to see diplomacy in action for HMG as a whole as we worked on priorities from trade and investment to health, economic growth to CT and security at our second Strategic Dialogue meeting with Qatar. Credit to @npatelFCDO and his team for steering this for the UK.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

Well worth reading this wide-ranging and powerful thread from my colleague @NickDyerFCDO with his reflections after spending several days with @UKinUkraine, Ukrainian humanitarian workers and public servants, and international aid agencies.

[Nick Dyer @NickDyerFCDO]

A 🧵: Last week I visited Kyiv to reaffirm the UK's unwavering commitment to Ukraine, speak to our partners inside and outside Government and spend time with the dedicated staff that make up @UKinUkraine 1/8

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

A productive two days in DC. It was great to speak with staff @UKinUSA and across our wider US network. I also met with @DeputySecState Chris Landau, and look forward to working with Chris in his new role on our shared priorities.

[Olly Robbins @OllyRobbins]

My congratulations and thanks to all those recognised. Delighted to see @FCDOGovUK colleagues among the recipients.

[Cabinet Office @cabinetofficeuk]

Today, HM The King presented the first Humanitarian Medals at Buckingham Palace.

The Medal is awarded to public servants and aid workers who, on behalf of the UK, support human welfare during or in the aftermath of a crisis.