Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Britain to help shape a continent-wide security framework in Dublin on Friday, calling for greater European responsibility as ties with Washington shift, The Guardian reported.
Starmer described the change in U.S.-European relations as lasting. He said Britain should preserve its military, security and intelligence cooperation with Washington even as Europe takes a larger role in its own defense. “Things will not go back to the way they were before,” he said, according to The Guardian.
He pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine and a shift in Washington’s approach to European security as developments that exposed Europe’s lack of preparation. Starmer called for closer coordination across the continent, including with countries outside the European Union, the outlet reported.
His argument also covered Britain’s economic relationship with Europe. Starmer said Brexit had harmed the UK economy and called for closer economic cooperation alongside security coordination, The Guardian reported. His remarks linked the two areas as part of a broader case for Britain to work more closely with European countries.
The next scheduled step is a UK-EU summit next month. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is due to attend, with food standards, energy and youth mobility expected to feature, The Guardian reported. EconoTimes has previously covered Burnham’s approach to closer EU ties.
