Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is set to deliver a major foreign policy speech on Tuesday, calling for British interests to be put first and warning of "painful decisions" ahead on defence spending.
The address comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer heads to Washington for diplomatic talks.
Badenoch will argue that wanting to "strengthen our country and to look after ourselves" is "not a selfish objective".
She will also advocate for Britain to disengage from international bodies if they become dominated by activists or autocratic regimes like China or Russia.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is set to deliver a major foreign policy speech on Tuesday, calling for British interests to be put first and warning of "painful decisions" ahead on defence spending
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The speech is set to be delivered one day after the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Badenoch will emphasise that "sovereignty must be at the core of our foreign policy" and that foreign policy should support national interests.
"A nation state's primary purpose is to defend its borders, its values and its people," she will declare in her address.
The Conservative leader will stress: "Our national interest is first and foremost to protect our country, to strengthen our country, and to look after ourselves. That means a strong military and a strong economy."
She will argue this approach represents "realism because you cannot help others if you cannot help yourself. Strengthening Britain must be the principal objective at the heart of everything we do."
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Badenoch will warn against international law becoming "a tool for NGOs and other critics to seek to advance an activist political agenda through international bodies and our domestic courts."
She will call for Britain to use its influence to prevent international organisations from being controlled by activists or autocratic states like China and Russia.
"And if that fails, we will need to disengage," the Conservative leader will say.
She will emphasise the importance of maintaining Britain's nuclear deterrent and protecting critical infrastructure both domestically and undersea.
Badenoch will also stress the need for meaningful contributions to Nato-led deterrence in Europe.
On defence spending, Badenoch will warn that voters must not see it as a choice between military funding and public services.
"If we approach this challenge as a zero-sum game - as a simple choice between defence spending and public services - we will struggle to persuade the public to back it," she is expected to say.
The Tory leader will highlight concerning financial priorities, noting that "any country that spends more interest on its debt than on defence, as the UK does today, is destined for weakness."
Her comments come as US President Donald Trump increases pressure on European Nato allies to boost their defence spending.
Kemi Badenoch will also stress the need for meaningful contributions to Nato-led deterrence in Europe
PAA Labour spokesperson strongly criticised Badenoch's speech, pointing to her role in the previous Conservative government.
"Kemi Badenoch was part of a Conservative government which hollowed out our armed forces, made us more reliant on Putin for our energy needs and diminished Britain's standing on the world stage," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added: "If Kemi Badenoch was really the 'realist' she says she is, she'd be apologising to the British people for the damage she and her Party did to our country."
Labour insisted it is "fixing the Tories' mess and delivering on our Plan for Change" focused on economic, national and border security.
