Emmanuel Macron is poised to tell Sir Keir Starmer that the UK’s appearance at a key EU summit on Monday signals the failure of Brexit, according to senior diplomats.
Britain’s prime minister will be the first UK leader to join an EU Council dinner since the country left the bloc in 2020—a symbolic step that sets the stage for a broader reset of UK-EU relations.
Starmer will use his visit to argue for a stronger defence and security partnership, underscoring Britain’s role in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s aggression. However, behind the scenes, EU diplomats describe him as a “demandeur”, pushing to re-establish ties at a time when London’s global aspirations appear to have been dampened by Brexit complexities—and by new challenges emanating from the White House under Donald Trump.
Addressing the 27 EU leaders at the Palais d’Egmont in Brussels—where Britain first signed its entry into the European Economic Community half a century ago—Starmer will try to secure an agreement on deeper defence co-operation. That includes ramping up military aid to Ukraine and exploring security guarantees if a potential ceasefire is reached. Some EU states, notably Germany and those bordering Russia, remain cautious about new peacekeeping initiatives that could divert resources away from NATO’s Eastern flank.
President Macron, however, is said to be enthusiastic about forging a closer military alliance with Britain, as both countries are nuclear powers capable of substantial deployments. French officials have highlighted how few European nations have significant defence capabilities, making bilateral co-operation between Paris and London particularly compelling.
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