Advertisement

Europe, UK seek closer ties a decade after Brexit

AFP
AFP - news@thelocal.com
Europe, UK seek closer ties a decade after Brexit
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Photo by Stefan Rousseau / POOL / AFP.

Ten years after the referendum that led to Brexit, Britain and the European Union must close ranks in an increasingly unstable world, their leaders said on Saturday.

Advertisement

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told the Munich Security Conference that Europe and Britain need to to cooperate more closely on "security, on economy.. on defending our democracies".

"Europe and in particular the UK should come closer together .. 10 years on from Brexit our futures are as bound as ever," she told the Munich Security conference.

British leader Keir Starmer echoed her.

"We are not at a crossroads: The road ahead is straight and it is clear. We must build our hard power, because that is the currency of the age," he said.

"We must be able to deter aggression and, yes, if necessary, we must be ready to fight," he said, calling for a building of "a shared industrial base across Europe which can turbocharge our defence production" and "multiply our strengths".

On Friday NATO chief Mark Rutte said that "a strong Europe in a strong NATO means that the transatlantic bond will be stronger than ever" and French President Emmanuel Macron said that "this is the right time for a strong Europe," that would be "building its own architecture of security".

More

Comments (4)

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at news@thelocal.de.
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

All comments 4
Sort by
Dawn
They could make a start by removing the crazy Visa requirements!
Paul C.
If Keir is of the opinion that brexit is behind the UK, then he should call another referendum to see if the people want to re-join the EU. Even if he does, I only want the UK back in if they agree to join the Eurozone, Schengen / Free movement and right to work of EU Citizens and to submit to the European Court of Justice. If they balk at any of that, then I would rather they just stay out of the EU.
Anthony Hilbert
Starmer talks like a technocrat but governs like a populist, because he still believes he can save his party by winning hard-right votes. Britain will only get closer to Europe under a new government, probably a Green-LD coalition.

See Also