The Prime Minister is travelling to Brussels for talks with the head of Nato on Monday, ahead of a dinner with all 27 EU leaders which is seen as a key moment in his attempted “reset” of post-Brexit relations.
Starmer hosted Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, at his country retreat Chequers on Sunday and agreed that Europe’s defence industry should become more integrated to boost mutual security.
Sir Keir Starmer met Scholz ahead of a wider gathering with EU leaders (Photo: Ben Stansall/PA Wire)“I’m here to work with our European partners on keeping up the pressure, targeting the energy revenues and the companies supplying his missile factories to crush Putin’s war machine. Because ultimately, alongside our military support, that is what will bring peace closer.”
The dinner in Brussels will be the first time since Brexit – which took place just over five years ago – that a British premier has met simultaneously with every EU leader.
Sir Keir Starmer shows the Chancellor of Germany around the grounds of Chequers (Photo: Ben Stansall/PA Wire)But he insisted that would not involve reversing any part of the Brexit settlement, telling broadcasters: “I’ve been very clear since I became Prime Minister that I do want a reset of the relationship between the UK and the EU.
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Read MoreDuring his Chequers talks with Scholz, the two leaders agreed on “the importance of scaling up and coordinating defence production across Europe”, according to a Downing Street spokesman.
David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, told Sky News that the UK still needed to present “concrete proposals” on how to improve its relationship with the EU. He added: “The ball is definitely now in the British court.”
But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on Starmer to be more ambitious and start the process of rejoining the EU’s customs union – saying: “As well as strengthening our co-operation on defence and security it’s also in our national interest to bolster ties with our European neighbours on trade, which was so badly damaged by the Conservatives.”
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