Foster Interview: "I Know How to Win Negotiations; Zelensky Must Surrender Land"

If Volodymyr Zelensky seeks understanding ears As he attempts to discover a route to tranquility He might as well turn to Baroness Foster, a woman who has dedicated much of her life to handling some of the most challenging negotiations.

The ex-first minister of Northern Ireland, similar to the Ukrainian leader, understands the experience of entering negotiations with mortal adversaries, setting aside personal repugnance for the sake of current and upcoming populations. She is a person whose school bus was targeted by an IRA bomb, and whose father narrowly escaped assassination when gunmen attacked their house; nevertheless, she participated in the memorial service for Martin McGuinness, the previous IRA chief who praised her dad’s potential assassin.

She greatly admires the manner in which Zelensky has carried himself. Recently, when questioned about how she would handle his circumstances during media engagements, she opted to provide comfort instead of counsel. "Compromise does not equate to weakness," she states, adding that "he has demonstrated this point effectively. Actually, such an approach could potentially result in outcomes that are advantageous for your cause."

There will always have to be some form of compromise, which can be incredibly tough on your backers since they expect you to achieve everything. However, in Northern Ireland, securing 80 percent could be considered quite successful, whereas only getting 40 percent might not be as fruitful, though still better than nothing. I believe this scenario may also apply to Zelensky.

We gather in the tea room of the House of Lords, where we sit beside a window offering a stunning vista of the Thames. Foster, adorned in an elegant printed dress, gently sips from a glass of sparkling water while expressing her enthusiasm for her fresh role as a working peer (she became Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee in 2022).

Since she has no prior experience as an MP, the 54-year-old seems to be relishing the newness of her role in Westminster, where she usually stays for about three days per week, far from her family residence close to the border town of Enniskillen. "This phase of my life brings me great joy," she shares, "as I appreciate both engaging with national-level politics and having additional time available for my loved ones."

My mother is 91 years old and fortunately, she remains quite active, allowing me to cherish her company. My kids are now 18, 22, and 24, and bless their hearts, they've known her presence in the spotlight all their lives, which makes it easier for them now that things aren’t so intense anymore. And let's not forget my overburdened spouse!

When Foster was deeply involved in negotiating issues like Brexit, power-sharing arrangements in Stormont, or conflicts within the DUP, her personal life seldom came up for discussion. She feels somewhat resentful that many members of the public believe politicians shouldn't enjoy a healthy work-life balance. "I hear remarks about Kemi Badenoch," she mentions, "and inwardly I think, 'Yes, but Kemi also has children and must juggle those responsibilities.' This is crucial because balancing tasks such as managing child care, attending birthday parties, staying updated with school events, scheduling doctor’s visits, along with performing their professional duties effectively shows how capable they truly are. It requires exceptional organizational skills."

Foster's public persona portrays her as a strong, grave woman whose voice might serve well as a foghorn when needed. However, this perception contrasts sharply with who she truly is. Throughout our conversation, she chuckles frequently and engages in discussing her fondness for various topics. BBC sitcom Amandaland and family drama Gilmore Girls , and expresses how eager she is to watch the new Bridget Jones movie. She has been a longtime fan of this series. Strictly Come Dancing , but she firmly states that she would decline if invited. "No, no," she says when questioned why. The reason being the curse of Strictly !”

She thinks women leaders must exert more effort to gain respect, and being Northern Ireland’s inaugural female leader was particularly challenging: "We remain the most traditional region within the UK," she states. "People would often inquire about my 'poor children,' worrying about their well-being, asking who was taking care of them."

Raising her in the 1970s, Foster found inspiration in Margaret Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth II, profoundly shaping her perception of what women could achieve. Upon stepping down as first minister in 2021, she got messages from younger female nationalists expressing that they only realized the significance of having a woman leader after she departed office.

At a time when Theresa May served as Prime Minister and Nicola Sturgeon led Scotland, she stood out as the sole individual balancing the pressures of leadership alongside parenthood.

Was she able to connect with Sturgeon? "Does anyone?" she chuckles. "She was quite an exceptional woman—very ambitious and not overly friendly toward me. I believe this was due to my being a Unionist and her a separatist; politics defined every aspect of who she was. I don’t criticize her for that stance. However, we never engaged in casual conversation."

In contrast to Sturgeon (or even Theresa May), Foster has an endless ability to converse and speaks proudly when discussing her children. "It's wonderful how each of them excels in various fields. Both sons participate actively in rugby at the local club in Enniskillen, much to their dad's delight since he holds rugby dear." Their oldest offspring, Sarah, practices law in Belfast, carrying forward her mother's initial profession, whereas George is nearing completion of a master’s degree in electrical engineering. Youngest member of the family, Ben, is currently immersed in his A-level studies.

Foster’s spouse Brian recently retired from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and to mark their 30-year marriage milestone, they intend to go on a cruise. During free moments on weekends, Foster enjoys hiking in the Fermanagh countryside alongside her loved ones and their high-energy fox-red Labrador named Max. She also shows me pictures of Max on her mobile phone without being able to hide her fondness for them.

When examining Foster's remarkable career, it's hard not to view it alongside her exceptional upbringing. On January 4, 1979, her father, John Kelly—a police officer with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)—escaped assassination by members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). They had intended to ambush him near their modest property, likely planning to kill him up-close after he finished his shift; however, he wasn’t actually working that particular day. The assailants instead opened fire on him as he led some livestock into shelter for the evening. As Foster recounts this incident, she gestures along her brow, explaining that one round struck her dad at such an angle that it failed to pierce his head. Another bullet left fragments embedded around his facial area upon impact.

She remembers, "He dragged himself inside, covered in blood." He then guided everyone upstairs to her parents' room—her, her two brothers, her mom, and grandma—and they all lay down on the floor. Her dad must have been wondering, 'Are they going to barge into our home? Will they complete what they started?' "

The home featured emergency flares activated by a bedside button for assistance, ensuring aid could be called even if telephone connections were severed; law enforcement typically reached them within seven or eight minutes. To an eight-year-old who dreaded dying, she recalls feeling as though this wait stretched endlessly. Relocating became necessary, yet due to delays, additional protection during this period included having a German Shepherd from the police force stationed at their residence. At nights, Foster resorted to concealing herself beneath her blankets, believing that should the attackers return, they might overlook her presence.

For her father, "a genuine community-oriented policeman," the most difficult aspect to deal with was realizing that he had been betrayed. This meant knowing that "the IRA obtained information from someone living nearby, some acquaintance had deliberately put him in harm's way."

In November 1987, during Remembrance Sunday, a former senior student from Foster’s school, Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar, lost his life in the Enniskillen bombing. Then, in June 1988, Foster found himself on a school bus where an IRA timed explosive device detonated. The intended victim was the driver, Ernie Wilson, who also served as a part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment. Fortunately, nobody died; however, multiple female students sustained injuries. Foster managed to avoid harm purely by luck.

"It was approximately a 12 or 13-mile trip to get to school," she explains. "If you were seated by the window, you could lean your head against it and maybe catch some sleep. My friend's sibling was right beside me, occupying the aisle seat. When I requested the window spot from her, she agreed since she didn’t want to face whatever came down the aisle."
Both she and the bus driver survived this ordeal; however, sadly, the driver’s son eventually ended his own life due to tormenting thoughts that he might have prevented the explosion if only he had inspected beneath the vehicle prior to when his father departed for work.

“Many individuals who were not directly struck by bombs ended up taking their own lives or endured suffering throughout their remaining years,” states Foster. “The immense impact of the Troubles might never be fully recorded. The families associated with RUC officers experienced tremendous hardships. Children found it difficult to discuss having fathers serving as policemen.”

Could pursuing a political career be her method of dealing with past experiences, maybe? "That's quite possible," she responds. "It's like one of those moments where everything hinges on whether you walk through a particular doorway; who knows how things would have turned out differently."

Just moments before our interview, Foster saw on social media that the Sinn Féin branch in Fermanagh, her hometown, organized a memorial walk to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the death of Seamus McElwain, a convicted IRA killer. McElwain, who was killed by the SAS in 1986 after breaking out of the Maze prison, was believed to have been involved in at least ten murders. It was also rumored that he was among those who attempted to murder Foster’s father.

During our almost two-hour discussion, for just one moment, Foster finds it difficult to maintain composure as she shares with me the content of a post on a Facebook page. "He was a psychopathic murderer," she states. "Still, Sinn Fein persists in celebrating his memory. What kind of message does this convey to younger generations?"

They portray these individuals as heroes, yet they were killers, murdering their neighbors. Michelle O'Neill, who serves as both the Vice-President of Sinn Féin and the present First Minister of Northern Ireland, asserts she is the leader for all of Northern Ireland’s citizens—this cannot be done.

She states that nationalists "often prefer to depict Unionist leaders as uninterested in reconciliation. This isn’t accurate. I initiated certain actions that earned me significant criticism." Specifically, she went to Martin McGuinness' funeral in March 2017 despite his having spoken at her father's funeral. Therefore, it’s understandable why she sees next month’s commemorative parade for herself as an affront.

This leads us back to the circumstances in Ukraine. She observed. the controversy between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office With the same blend of shock and skepticism as the others, she points out that "currently, we've got quite a few aggressive males in charge." Among these leaders is undoubtedly Trump. When I inquire about whether she has crossed paths with him, she pulls out her smartphone to display a photo of her conversing with him during a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in Washington back in 2019.

It wasn't a deep discussion. "I got the sense that he wasn't very interested in what was happening for St Patrick's Day," she explains. "That year, The Open golf championship took place in Northern Ireland, so I recommended he visit. But he declined."

She believes Zelensky must acknowledge that Crimea has been lost and perhaps other regions as well. She suggests he needs to define his limits clearly but ensure no one else understands them, "or they'll cross your boundaries right away." In response to critics of Zelensky, she queries, "What else could he have accomplished?" And she notes that his challenge in future talks will be maintaining "endurance and fortitude" despite setbacks caused by unforeseen occurrences.

She believes his pledge to resign If he turns into an obstacle for peace, "it took great bravery," demonstrating genuine leadership. Foster’s frontline career concluded in 2021. When she was forced out through a no-confidence vote initiated by members of her own political party. Many of them thought she had grown too moderate on topics such as COVID-19 restrictions and the post-Brexit border in the Irish Sea. She maintains that she isn’t bitter about the situation, largely because holding onto bitterness would only harm herself, and she welcomed the unforeseen opportunities presented by her newfound liberty.

One of her present positions involves serving as a parliamentary advisor for the Friends of the British Overseas Territories, encompassing territories such as the Chagos Islands. She continues to hold this belief. the government's transfer of the island chain , including the Anglo-American military installation on Diego Garcia, can be halted. "The agreement still needs to go before Parliament," she states. "We have plenty of representatives in both the Commons and the Lords who will thoroughly examine the specifics of this deal, with Labor being part of that scrutiny."

The British Overseas Territories hold greater significance today than ever before due to the expanding influences of China and Russia globally. These crucial locations worldwide remain within our jurisdiction, so why would we relinquish them? " She feels that governmental naïveté contributed significantly to this choice, much like how Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves were misled by public officials into proposing cuts to the winter fuel allowance as a cost-saving measure.

There was an extensive negotiation phase under the Tory government, but as soon as the Labour Party took over, it seemed like the officials remarked, 'Well, this is settled; all that remains is for them to put their signature on it.' But have they considered why the Conservatives didn’t finalize it?

She also believes that Kim Leadbeater’s bill for assisted dying — which she strongly disagrees with — can be halted. "I believe the Lords, may heaven help them, will reject it," she states, "since many of us oppose it fundamentally and numerous individuals have concerns regarding the protections involved." She believes that the modifications already implemented in the legislation, such as substituting expert panels for judges to approve assisted deaths, demonstrate its poor planning, and anticipates that this could lead to its collapse.

She mentions that the Lords will provide a degree of examination that it hasn’t received until now due to the "considered discussions" that occur there, which she considers its primary virtue. After observing the workings of the Lords internally, she believes that the government’s approach is being "unkind." expelling hereditary peers as part of continuing reforms believes they deserve to become life peers if they're making significant contributions, and observes that Labour is instead appointing individuals who are either "from north London or affiliated with trade unions." She also comments, “This situation somewhat feels like a class conflict.”

One of her positions includes serving as the chairwoman of Intertrade UK, an organization aimed at fostering trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She believes this initiative could address current customs practices that result in a de facto boundary within the Irish Sea. According to her, excluding a customs frontier with the Republic of Ireland during Brexit talks was erroneous since "a border has consistently existed." She advocates for reviving advanced technologies proposed earlier by figures like Boris Johnson to facilitate smoother cross-border commerce, technologies that have yet to be implemented effectively.

As our chat wraps up, Foster mentions she's going to the airport to board her flight back home, sparking a discussion about varying levels of airline service quality. I comment that the standards seem lower when it comes to cabin crews these days, but she doesn’t agree. With a touch of playfulness, I then say, "That might be due to them being intimidated by you."

"Why do people always say that about me?" she asks, pretending only slightly to be offended. Having learned how great a companion she makes, all I can tell her is that they just don't know her.

Subscribe to the Front Page newsletter at no cost: Your daily roadmap to what’s happening as provided by The Telegraph—delivered right to your mailbox every single day of the week.