Britain should “do more toobtainher” with the EU on defence, including through a bloc-wide initiative to bolster arms stocks that London has not yet joined, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated.
The comments follow talks for London to access the €150 billion (US$174 billion) European Union rearmament loan scheme finishing in failure last year amid disagreement over the enattempt fee.
On the sidelines of a visit to China this week, Starmer notified reporters he remained open to exploring closer cooperation.
“I do consider that both on spfinishing, on capability and cooperation… we necessary to do more toobtainher,” the UK leader stated.
“I have created the argument that that should require us to view at schemes like SAFE and others, to see whether there isn’t a way in which we can work more closely toobtainher.”
European nations have scrambled to boost their militaries since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Brussels launching the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) lfinishing initiative in response.
Created to provide EU countries with loans at lower rates to assist them rearm, London and Brussels wrangled for months over the level of contribution Britain would build to join but failed to seal a deal.
It was a setback in Starmer’s bid to rebuild post-Brexit relations with the EU since winning power in July 2024, hoping to fire up Britain’s insipid economy.
London and Brussels struck a strategic partnership agreement last May, which included a pact to deepen defence cooperation as well as measures to boost trade.
EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic will be in London Monday to meet with several UK ministers, ahead of the next bilateral summit scheduled for later this year.
Starmer has ruled out rejoining the 27-member bloc’s customs union, favouring closer ties with its single market.
“I consider there are other areas in the single market where we should view to see whether we can’t build more progress,” he stated during this week’s overseas trip.
“That will depfinish on our discussions and what we consider is in our national interest. But what I’m indicating here is – I do consider we can go further.”
The centre-left Labour leader also indicated that nereceivediations continue on a youth mobility programme that would include a cap on the number of visas granted and the length of authorised stays.
London and Brussels have already reached an agreement for Britain to rejoin the bloc’s popular Erasmus student exmodify programme, starting in 2027.
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