In her first major public address since assuming leadership of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) on October 1, 2025, Blaise Metreweli—the agency's first female chief—described the current global security landscape as operating in a perilous "space between peace and war." Speaking from MI6 headquarters in London on December 15, 2025, Metreweli outlined an "interlocking web of security challenges," with Russia emerging as the primary threat through aggressive hybrid tactics.
Metreweli, who succeeded Sir Richard Moore, portrayed Moscow under President Vladimir Putin as "aggressive, expansionist, and revisionist," intent on subjugating Ukraine and harassing NATO allies. She accused Russia of "testing us in the grey zone with tactics that are just below the threshold of war," citing examples such as drone incursions over European airports and airbases, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, aggressive maritime activities, state-sponsored arson and sabotage, disinformation campaigns, and propaganda operations.
"The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in this Russian approach to international engagement," Metreweli stated, adding that such behavior would persist "until Putin is forced to change his calculus." She expressed skepticism about Russia's commitment to Ukraine peace negotiations, noting Putin is "dragging out negotiations and shifting the cost of war onto his own population." Despite this, she reaffirmed Britain's enduring support for Ukraine: "Putin should be in no doubt, our support is enduring. The pressure we apply on Ukraine's behalf will be sustained."
The speech comes amid heightened diplomatic efforts to resolve the nearly four-year Ukraine conflict, including talks involving U.S. envoys and European leaders. Metreweli's remarks underscore Western intelligence assessments that Putin remains focused on military gains rather than genuine compromise.
Beyond Russia, Metreweli addressed broader disruptions from emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing, which could converge into "science-fiction-like tools" for conflict. She warned that power over these technologies is shifting from states to corporations and individuals, making the world "more dangerous and contested now than for decades." "The front line is everywhere," she declared, emphasizing hybrid threats that affect societies "even in our brains" through disinformation.
To adapt, Metreweli called for MI6 to infuse technological mastery throughout its operations. "We must be as comfortable with lines of code as we are with human sources, as fluent in Python as we are in multiple languages," she said, urging officers to embrace digital skills alongside traditional espionage tradecraft. Drawing on MI6's historical roots in the World War II Special Operations Executive, she pledged the agency would "sharpen our edge and impact with audacity," taking calculated risks to "outplay" adversaries without stooping to their tactics.
Metreweli briefly touched on China, noting the need to inform government policy on Beijing's rising implications for national security, but avoided detailed criticism amid UK efforts to strengthen economic ties. She also highlighted recent UK sanctions on Russian entities involved in information warfare and Chinese firms conducting cyber activities against allies.
The address reflects Metreweli's background as former director of MI6's technology and innovation division—known internally as "Q"—and her operational experience in the Middle East and Europe. At 48, she brings a focus on modernizing the 116-year-old agency amid evolving threats.
Analysts view the speech as a signal of continuity in UK foreign intelligence priorities, with sustained emphasis on countering Russian aggression while adapting to technological shifts. It follows warnings from other UK officials, including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on information warfare and Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin on preparing for potential conflict.
Metreweli concluded by stressing human wisdom in guiding powerful technologies: "The defining challenge of the 21st century is not simply who wields the most powerful technologies, but who guides them with the greatest wisdom. Our security, our prosperity and our humanity depend on it."
This debut speech reinforces MI6's role in navigating an era where traditional espionage intersects with cyber and influence operations, ensuring Britain remains ahead in an increasingly unpredictable world.
