A triumphant Keir Starmer announced in London early on July 5 that "change begins now," after his Labour Party scored a landslide victory to end 14 years of Conservative government in the United Kingdom's general elections a day earlier.
But while new Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his center-left party have pledged a fresh approach to British economic woes and a cost-of-living crisis at home, they have signaled no dramatic break with the outgoing government's policy of robust military and diplomatic support for Ukraine in its ongoing war to defeat Russian invaders.
In a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden hours after taking office, Starmer said U.K. backing for Ukraine's war effort would not be weakened under the new government.
"The leaders reiterated their steadfast commitment to Ukraine, and the prime minister underscored that the U.K.'s support for Ukraine was unwavering," Starmer's office said in a statement.
The two men "reiterated their continued support for Ukraine as it fights Russia’s unrelenting aggression," the White House said in a separate readout.
While Labour has hinted at a more conciliatory tone than its Conservative predecessor in relations with the European Union, the party has gone to lengths to reassure NATO and other allies helping arm Kyiv that London will continue to regard Russia as a threat to Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was quick to welcome the continuity in a message of thanks to the outgoing Conservatives and congratulations to the incoming Labour government for its "convincing election victory."
"Ukraine and the United Kingdom have been and will continue to be reliable allies through thick and thin," Zelenskiy wrote on X. "We will continue to defend and advance our common values of life, freedom, and a rules-based international order."
He wished Starmer well in "solidifying the U.K.'s leadership on the world stage."
"I look forward to working closely together on strengthening the Ukraine-U.K. partnership and restoring international peace and security," Zelenskiy added.
"A mandate like this comes with a great responsibility," Starmer, who took over Labour's leadership four years ago, told supporters after the party's victory was assured.
At around noon local time at Buckingham Palace, King Charles III formally launched the 61-year-old former lawyer's tenure as prime minister by asking him to form a government.
Outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was a strong backer of NATO and other international assistance for Ukraine including the supply of weaponry.
Zelenskiy expressed gratitude in his message to Sunak and his government's "steadfast support" and "shared achievements," including the supplies of tanks, Storm Shadow missiles, F-16 training for our pilots, and the first bilateral security cooperation agreement" after Russia's invasion began.
David Lammy, who was officially appointed on July 5 as foreign secretary in Starmer's Labour government, predicted Labour's return to power will usher in a foreign policy of "progressive realism."
He has said it is time to "turn the page on 14 years of Tory chaos."
But the resets in foreign policy that Lammy has touted among Labour's goals involve reconnecting with Europe to repair some of the damage since Brexit, addressing climate change, and engaging more aggressively with the Global South.
On defense, Starmer and Labour have described their commitment to NATO's foremost role in transatlantic security as "unshakable."
On Ukraine, Labour has pledged "steadfast" military, financial, diplomatic, and political support. Labour's manifesto also calls for helping lay out a path for Ukraine toward NATO membership.
Olivia O'Sullivan, director of the U.K. In The World Program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, told RFE/RL that "there are many ways in which the foreign policy positions of the Labour Party are not that distinct from the Conservatives," calling it "one surprising area of consensus in the U.K."
"Particularly on Ukraine, the Labour Party have been at pains to emphasize that they are as staunch and as consistent in their support for Ukraine," O'Sullivan said. "There's very little daylight between their position and [that of] the Conservatives."
The woman who is expected to assume the EU's top diplomatic post later this year, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, congratulated Starmer on his electoral victory and praised "the U.K.'s commitment to our common security."
"I'm sure our excellent cooperation will only continue to thrive," she added on X.
Starmer has hinted that he would meet early in his leadership with Zelenskiy, and he has described Russian President Vladimir Putin as "the aggressor in Ukraine."
"The most important thing is to be absolutely clear that our support for Ukraine is on a united front in this country," Starmer said.
Starmer's new government will immediately have a chance to test that intention at NATO's 75th anniversary summit in Washington on July 9-11.
Soon after, Britain will host a European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace on July 18.
"I think one of their goals for both of those events...will be to affirm that they're taking a very similar line through the previous government on Ukraine and on support for Ukraine," O'Sullivan said.
She said Starmer's challenges include fiscal restrictions and looming elections in France and the United States, either of which could deal blows to transatlantic unity.
Analysts say British voters turned to Labour seeking relief from a 14-year Conservative tenure marked by the Brexit vote in 2016 to leave the European Union and economic woes and stagnation that have followed the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Labour eclipsed the 326 seats needed for a working majority in the House of Commons early in the vote count that showed it gaining well over 200 seats as the Conservatives lost an even higher number of seats.
Right-wing populist Reform Party leader Nigel Farage won a seat for the first time in eight attempts, indicating that Britain was experiencing some of the right-wing surge that showed up in last month's elections to the European Parliament.