BRUSSELS — Keir Starmer has told the European Union to “step up” when it comes to supporting Ukraine ahead of a meeting with EU leaders to talk security.
Speaking at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, hours before a dinner meeting with the 27 EU presidents and prime ministers, Starmer also discussed ideas for a new post-Brexit security pact with the bloc.
“Peace will come through strength, and we must do all that we can to support Ukraine’s defense,” said Starmer.
“That means stabilizing the front line, providing the kit and training that they need. And that’s why this year, the U.K. will give more military support to Ukraine than ever before. We need to see all allies stepping up, particularly in Europe.”
Spelling out his vision for a closer relationship on defense, Starmer said he wanted EU-U.K. cooperation to cover “military technology and R&D, improving the mobility of forces across Europe, protecting our critical infrastructure and deepening our industrial collaboration to increase defense production.”
The U.K. prime minister added that United States President Donald Trump’s threat of more sanctions on Russia had “got Putin rattled”, adding: “We know that he’s worried about the state of the Russian economy. So I’m here to work with our European partners on keeping up the pressure, targeting the energy revenues and the companies supplying these missile factories to crush Putin’s war machine.”
While Monday’s European Council summit is mostly focused on Ukraine and European security, Starmer said told reporters would also come equipped with other ideas to improve the U.K.-EU relationship.
“I will touch on the wider reset which goes beyond defense and security into the fields of energy, and into trade and the economy,” he said.
Since coming to office in July last year the Labour prime minister has pledged to “reset” relations with the EU — which had often been frosty under the previous Conservative U.K. government.
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