UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to sign a new security partnership agreement with the European Union in early 2025, according to a report from Financial Times.
The newspaper also reported that Starmer will be invited to an informal EU leaders summit on February 3, 2025, to discuss security matters. This event will mark the first time a British prime minister has attended such a meeting since the UK’s exit from the EU.
On Thursday, Starmer will host the new President of the European Council, António Costa, in London, who will officially invite him to the February summit. The meeting will focus on defense cooperation, according to the report. A British official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the Prime Minister intends to accept the invitation.
The leaders will also discuss the dates for the upcoming EU-UK summit, scheduled for the first half of 2025, the article added.
Starmer has repeatedly stated his intention to build new relationships with the European Union. The Labour Party, in its pre-election manifesto, outlined plans to establish a security pact with the EU, strengthen defense cooperation with France, Germany and partners in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
Additionally, the new government aims to address trade issues concerning agricultural products between the UK and the EU to reduce border checks and address food price issues. Furthermore, they plan to discuss mutual recognition of professional qualifications to open new markets for British service exporters. However, the government does not plan to rejoin the single European market.
In the June 2016 referendum, 52% of British voters supported leaving the EU, and on January 31, 2020, the UK officially left the EU after 47 years of membership. The transition period after Brexit, during which UK citizens traveled under simplified procedures and EU laws remained in effect, ended on December 31 of the same year. On January 1, 2021, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into effect.
