Britain12 May, 20262 min read
Keir Starmer Hosts EU Summit With Ursula Von Der Leyen, Antonio Costa, Kaja Kallas
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Starmer hosts first post-Brexit EU summit in London with von der Leyen and Costa. Talks push closer EU alignment and defense cooperation, while not rejoining the customs union.
Starmer’s EU reset
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer launched a bid to rebuild ties with the European Union, pledging to lay out "a platform on which we can build" tighter links with the EU and to put "Britain at the heart of Europe". The BBC said Starmer’s comments were met with skepticism from Jill Rutter, who described them as "a damp squib" for lacking "one single new proposal".
In London, La Tribune reported that Starmer would host a bilateral summit with Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa, and Kaja Kallas, framing it as a first since the referendum confirming the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union in 2020. La Tribune also quoted a Downing Street press release saying Starmer promised to conclude within "this week" a "new agreement that will serve the national interest of the country."
Red lines and reactions
Starmer’s EU push is paired with repeated constraints, with the BBC reporting that Labour promised not to cross "red lines" on free movement of workers, rejoining the single market, and a customs union. La Tribune said the prime minister signaled he was ready to accept Brussels’ demand on freedom of movement through a reciprocal mobility program for young people to study and work in London and in the EU.
In Brussels, a European diplomat told lecourrier.vn that the summit was "very promising" and that "it’s fairly positive; we will get there," while International Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said on the BBC, "I cannot confirm that it is concluded, but it is very promising; there have been advances." El País reported that Starmer’s speech clashed with refusal to rejoin the customs union and quoted Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey saying, "it must address the cost of living crisis we suffer" and "there is no way to achieve that if they do not discard all the red lines about Europe" including returning to the customs union.
Defense pact and next steps
Beyond trade and mobility, the summit is expected to produce a defense and security partnership, with lecourrier.vn saying the leaders were expected to announce a defense and security partnership and a document outlining a common vision on major global issues. La Tribune described the summit as focused on renewing closer ties with Brussels while also citing the Downing Street line that security and safety should not be compromised by a lack of cooperation among neighboring countries facing the same global challenges.
Ouest-France said Starmer’s government is putting the finishing touches on a bill to implement closer ties with the European Union and to frame an "alignment mechanism" and the "role of Parliament," while also noting that the bill is expected to provoke strong opposition from the Conservative Party and Reform UK led by Nigel Farage. In the lead-up, El País quoted Starmer limiting himself to explaining, "We will have [this summer] a new bilateral summit, which will help us get closer in trade, economy, defense and security," as the dispute over red lines continues.