UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Foreign Affairs

  • David Lammy – 2025 Statement on Thailand’s deportation of 40 Uyghur Muslims to China

    David Lammy – 2025 Statement on Thailand’s deportation of 40 Uyghur Muslims to China

    The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 27 February 2025.

    The UK disagrees in the strongest terms with Thailand’s decision to deport 40 Uyghur Muslims to China. This is despite Thailand’s international obligations in relation to non-refoulement and the well-documented ongoing human rights violations in Xinjiang.

    The UK calls for the human rights of this group to be upheld, and we urge China to implement the wider recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in relation to Xinjiang.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments at White House Press Conference

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments at White House Press Conference

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 27 February 2025.

    Thank you very much, Mr President.

    Thank you for your hospitality, thank you for your leadership.

    This has been a very good and very productive visit.

    And with your family roots in Scotland…

    And your close bond with His Majesty the King…

    It’s good to know…

    That the United Kingdom has a true friend in the Oval Office.

    And it was so good to see the bust of Winston Churchill back in its rightful place just a moment ago.

    But look, in a moment of real danger around the world…

    This relationship matters more than ever.

    We remain each other’s first partner in defence…

    Ready to come to the other’s aid…

    To counter threats, wherever and whenever they may arise.

    No two militaries are more intertwined than ours.

    No two countries have done more together to keep people safe.

    And in a few weeks’ time we’ll mark VE Day…

    The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe.

    Britain and America fought side-by-side to make that happen –

    One of the greatest moments in our history.

    We stand side-by-side still, today…

    And we’re focused now…

    On bringing an enduring end to the barbaric war in Ukraine.

    Mr President, I welcome your deep, personal commitment…

    To bring peace and stop the killing.

    You have created a moment of tremendous opportunity…

    To reach an historic peace deal –

    A deal that would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world.

    That is the prize.

    But we have to get it right.

    There’s a famous slogan in the United Kingdom…

    From after the Second World War –

    That is that we have to “win the peace.”

    And that’s what we must do now.

    Because it can’t be a peace that rewards the aggressor…

    Or that gives succour to regimes like Iran.

    We agree – history must be on the side of the peacemaker…

    Not the invader.

    So the stakes, they could not be higher.

    And we’re determined to work together to deliver a good deal.

    We’ve discussed a plan today…

    To reach a peace that is tough and fair…

    That Ukraine will help to shape…

    That is backed by strength –

    To stop Putin coming back for more.

    And I am working closely with other European leaders on this.

    And I am clear –

    That the UK is ready…

    To put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal.

    Working together with our allies,

    Because that is the only way that peace that will last.

    Mr President, in this new era…

    You’re also right that Europe must step up.

    And let me tell you now –

    I see the growing threats we face…

    And so the UK is all in.

    This year we will be giving more military aid to Ukraine than ever.

    And just this week…

    I have set out how we are shouldering more of the security burden.

    We’re already one of the biggest spenders in NATO…

    And now we are going much further…

    Delivering Britain’s biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

    This isn’t just talk – it’s action.

    Rebalancing the transatlantic alliance…

    Making us all stronger…

    And standing up for our shared values and shared security…

    As Britain always has.

    Now, Mr President…

    It’s no secret we’re from different political traditions…

    But there is a lot that we have in common.

    We believe it’s not taking part that counts…

    What counts is winning.

    If you don’t win – you don’t deliver.

    And we’re determined to deliver for the working people of Britain and America –

    Who want – and deserve – to see their lives improve.

    So we’re both in a hurry to get things done.

    And that’s what the UK and the US do when we work together:

    We win – and we get things done.

    So we’ll do what it takes to keep our people safe…

    We will also work together…

    To deliver some big economic wins that can benefit us both.

    We have $1.5 trillion invested in each other’s economies…

    Creating over 2.5 million jobs across both economies.

    Our trading relationship is not just strong –

    It is fair, balanced and reciprocal.

    We’re leaders together in so many areas…

    Ranked one and two in the world as investment destinations…

    One and two for universities…

    One and two for Nobel prizes…

    One and two in golf, as well – by the way…

    And we’re the only two western countries with trillion dollar tech sectors –

    Leaders in AI…

    And look, we take a similar approach on this issue.

    Instead of over-regulating these new technologies…

    We’re seizing the opportunities they offer.

    So we have decided today to go further…

    To begin work on a new economic deal…

    With advanced technology at its core…

    Look – our two nations, together…

    Shaped the great technological innovations of the last century.

    We have a chance now…

    To do the same for the 21st century…

    I mean – artificial intelligence could cure cancer…

    That could be a moonshot for our age…

    And that’s how we will keep delivering for our people.

    There are so many opportunities.

    Keep our nations strong…

    And fulfil the promise of greatness…

    That has always defined this relationship.

    Finally, to underline the importance of this bond…

    It was my privilege and honour to bring a letter with me today –

    From His Majesty the King…

    Not only sending his best wishes…

    But also inviting the President and the First Lady to make a State Visit to the United Kingdom…

    An unprecedented second State Visit – this has never happened before.

    It’s so incredible it will be historic.

    And I’m delighted that I can go back to His Majesty The King and tell him that President Trump has accepted the invitation.

    So thank you.

    Our teams will now work together to set a date.

    Mr President, we look forward to welcoming you in the United Kingdom.

    Thank you once again.

  • David Lammy – 2025 Article on Defence Spending

    David Lammy – 2025 Article on Defence Spending

    The article written by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 25 February 2025. The article was published in the Guardian newspaper and released as a press release by the Government.

    There are moments in history when everything turns, but the extent of change is not perceived until later when the fog has cleared. These are hinge points that require clear leadership and bold action. In the late 1940s, my Labour predecessor and hero Ernie Bevin, alongside Clement Attlee, saw through the fog when they led Britain into Nato and the UN, and secured the development of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

    In the 1960s, Harold Wilson saw through the paranoia of the cold war, refusing Lyndon Johnson’s request to send British troops to Vietnam. In the 1990s, Tony Blair understood that unless we stopped the president of Serbia, Slobodan Milošević, there would be no peace in the Balkans.

    Three years into Vladimir Putin’s brutal war, this is again a hinge point for Britain. Keir Starmer’s commitment to dramatically raise defence spending in both this and the next parliament shows his leadership through the fog. Putin’s Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine and its neighbours, but to all of Europe, including the UK.

    Over successive administrations, our closest ally, the US, has turned increasingly towards the Indo-Pacific, and it is understandably calling for Nato’s European members to shoulder more of the burden for our continent’s security. Around the world, the threats are multiplying: from traditional warfare to hybrid threats and cyber-attacks.

    The first duty and foundation of this government’s Plan for Change – GOV.UK is our national security. Seven months ago, the public gave us this responsibility, and we hold it with a profound sense of duty. Under the Conservatives, the foundations of our defence were weakened. The UK has not reached a defence spending level of 2.5% of GDP since Labour was last in government. And it falls to a Labour government to restore those foundations once again. We will deliver the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war because we are the party of defence. So we will hit our 2.5% promise in 2027 and, subject to economic conditions, go further, with defence spending rising to 3% during the next parliament. This is a pledge to safeguard our future – and act as a pillar of security on our continent – in a world plagued by more active conflicts than at any time since the second world war.

    To make this commitment, and stick within our fiscal rules, we have had to make the extremely difficult decision to lower our spending on international development. As the Prime Minister said, we do not pretend any of this is easy.

    This is a hard choice that no government – let alone a Labour government – makes lightly. I am proud of our record on international development. It helps address global challenges from health to migration, contributes to prosperity, and supports the world’s most vulnerable people.

    It grows both our soft power and our geopolitical clout, while improving lives. For all of those reasons, this government remains committed to reverting spending on overseas aid to 0.7% of gross national income when the fiscal conditions allow.

    But we are a government of pragmatists not ideologues – and we have had to balance the compassion of our internationalism with the necessity of our national security.

    As we reduce the overseas aid budget, we will protect the most vital programmes in the world’s worst conflict zones of Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. But there can be no hiding from the fact that many programmes doing vital work will have to be put on hold. The work of making further tough choices about programmes will proceed at pace over the weeks and months ahead, but our core priorities will remain the same.

    My vision for a reformed Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office fit for this more contested and dangerous world, in which diplomacy is more important than ever, remains paramount. We are working closely with the Treasury to ensure our diplomatic, intelligence and development footprint will align with our priorities. In a tough fiscal environment, all our spending must be laser-focused on delivering the maximum possible impacts for our national security and growth, equipping the FCDO to deliver the government’s plan for change internationally.

    At the height of the cold war, defence spending fluctuated between about 4% and 7% of GDP. At this moment of fiscal and geopolitical flux, not meeting the moment on defence would mean leaving Britain ill-prepared for a more dangerous world, potentially requiring even tougher choices down the line.

    I have written previously about this government’s foreign policy being founded on progressive realism. Being clear about our values, but treating the world as it is, not as we would wish it to be. These are the principles that guide our choices through these dangerous times. We will always do what is necessary to keep the public safe.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments at a Meeting Convened by President Zelenskyy to Mark Three Years since the Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments at a Meeting Convened by President Zelenskyy to Mark Three Years since the Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 24 February 2025.

    Thank you very much – colleagues, let me start with Volodymyr and saying on this day of all days, I want to pay tribute to your leadership Volodymyr. And friends – it’s right that we mark this grim anniversary together. For three years we have been united in opposition to Russia’s barbaric invasion. And for three years we have been full of admiration for the incredible response of the Ukrainian people.

    Their voices must be must at the heart of the drive for peace. And I want to be clear – I hear them. I think of the soldiers and civilians that I met in Kyiv just a few weeks ago in the ICU, in the burns unit… The witnesses to the horror of Bucha… The school children I met living under constant bombardment… The soldiers training in the UK, bound for the frontline… Their voices echo in my ears – They inform the decisions I take – and the peace that I believe we must see.

    So I have a very simple, clear message today: the UK is with you. Today and every day. From His Majesty the King… To the NHS workers volunteering in hospitals in Ukraine… To the communities that took Ukrainian refugees to their heart. And that’s why I signed our 100-year partnership with President Zelenskyy last month – Because we believe in Ukraine’s fight today, and the country’s incredible potential to thrive in the years to come.

    This is a time for unity. In this crucial moment as talks begin – we must work together to shape the outcome.

    Russia does not hold all the cards in this war… Because the Ukrainians have the courage to defend their country… Because Russia’s economy is in trouble… And because they have now lost the best of their land forces and their Black Sea Fleet in this pointless invasion. So we must increase the pressure even further to deliver an enduring peace, not just a pause in fighting. We can do that in three ways.

    First, by stepping up our military support to Ukraine. The UK is doing that… Providing £4.5bn in military aid this year – more than ever before. We’re doing more than ever to train Ukrainian troops, helping Ukraine to mobilise even further… And we’re proud to have taken on the leadership of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.

    Secondly, we must keep dialling up the economic pressure… To get Putin to a point where he is ready not just to talk, but to make concessions. So today we’re announcing the UK’s largest package of sanctions since the early days of the war… Going after Russia’s shadow fleet… And going after companies in China and elsewhere who are sending military components.
    Later today I will be discussing further steps with the G7 – And I am clear that the G7 should be ready to take on more risk – Including on the oil price cap… Sanctioning Russia’s oil giants… And going after the banks that are enabling the evasion of sanctions.

    Third, we must bring our collective strength to the peace effort.
    President Trump has changed the global conversation over the last few weeks. And it has created an opportunity. Now, we must get the fundamentals right.

    If we want peace to endure, Ukraine must have a seat at the table… And any settlement must be based on a sovereign Ukraine… Backed up with strong security guarantees. The UK is ready and willing to support this with troops on the ground – With other Europeans, and with the right conditions in place.
    And ultimately a US backstop will be vital to deter Russia from launching another invasion in just a few years’ time.

    So we will do everything we can to get the best outcome for Ukraine – and for us all. Let me close with one of those voices I mentioned earlier – A patient called Petro, from the burns unit I visited in Kyiv. He said to me… “If Ukraine fails, Europe will be next.” That is what’s at stake here. That is why we will always stand with Ukraine, and with our allies… Against this aggression… And for a just and lasting peace. Slava Ukraini.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on Oded Lifschitz

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on Oded Lifschitz

    The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 20 February 2025.

    I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Oded Lifschitz after he was taken hostage by terrorists in Gaza, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to his daughter Sharone and his wife Yocheved.

    When I met Sharone in Downing Street, she showed remarkable strength in the face of the most difficult circumstances. The news of her father’s death is a tragedy. It is my hope that the peace he worked to see in the region through his charity work and activism will be achieved.

    My thoughts are also with the Bibas family, who have faced immense pain as they awaited news of Shiri and her sons Kfir and Ariel.

    We must see all remaining hostages released, and the ceasefire upheld. My government remains committed to working with our international partners to bring an end this suffering and secure a long-term peace in the Middle East.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Article in the Telegraph on Ukraine

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Article in the Telegraph on Ukraine

    The article in the Daily Telegraph written by Keir Starmer and released by 10 Downing Street as a press release on 17 February 2025.

    We are facing a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent. This is not only a question about the future of Ukraine – it is existential for Europe as a whole.

    Securing a lasting peace in Ukraine that safeguards its sovereignty for the long term is essential if we are to deter Putin from further aggression in the future.

    To achieve it, Europe and the United States must continue to work closely together – and I believe the UK can play a unique role in helping to make this happen, just as we did this past week in stepping in to convene and chair the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.

    First, Europe must step up further to meet the demands of its own security. So I am heading to Paris with a very clear message for our European friends. We have got to show we are truly serious about our own defence and bearing our own burden. We have talked about it for too long – and president Trump is right to demand that we get on with it.

    As European nations, we must increase our defence spending and take on a greater role in Nato. Non-US Nato nations have already increased defence spending by 20 per cent in the past year, but we must go further.

    Russia is still waging war and Ukraine is still fighting for its freedom, which is why we must not relent in our efforts to get the kit Ukrainians need for their fighters on the front line. While the fighting continues, we must put Ukraine in the strongest possible position ahead of any talks.

    The UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes further support for Ukraine’s military, where the UK has already committed £3 billion a year until at least 2030. But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.

    I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way. But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country.

    The end of this war, when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again.

    But second, while European nations must step up in this moment – and we will – US support will remain critical and a US security guarantee is essential for a lasting peace, because only the US can deter Putin from attacking again. So I will be meeting president Trump in the coming days and working with him and all our G7 partners to help secure the strong deal we need.

    We must be clear that peace cannot come at any cost. Ukraine must be at the table in these negotiations, because anything less would accept Putin’s position that Ukraine is not a real nation.

    President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have shown the most extraordinary resilience and made such great sacrifices in the defence of their nation. We cannot have another situation like Afghanistan, where the US negotiated directly with the Taliban and cut out the Afghan government. I feel sure that president Trump will want to avoid this too.

    While Nato membership may take time, we should continue to support Ukraine’s irreversible path to joining the alliance.

    We should also show greater strength in applying economic pressure. Putin’s economy is feeling the strain – he is worried about his energy revenues and his financial sector.

    Working together, the US, Europe and all our G7 allies should seek to go further on the oil price cap, the Shadow Fleet, the sanctioning of oil giants, and going after those banks that are enabling the evasion of sanctions.

    These crucial days ahead will determine the future security of our continent. As I will say in Paris, peace comes through strength. But the reverse is also true. Weakness leads to war.

    This is the moment for us all to step up, and the UK will do so because it is the right thing to do for the values and freedoms we hold dear, and because it is fundamental to our own national security.

  • David Lammy – 2025 Speech at the G20 in South Africa

    David Lammy – 2025 Speech at the G20 in South Africa

    The speech made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, at the G20 Foreign Ministerial Meeting in South Africa on 20 February 2025.

    Thank you very much Ronald [Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa] and let me say, my dear brother, what a joy is to see the G20 in Africa at long last. And we thank Brazil for its stewardship last year.

    The challenges that we face are truly global. We will not begin to tackle them unless we harness the potential of this continent, bursting with growth and opportunities and with so many young people, talented young people at its heart.

    The starkest challenge we face is escalating conflict, both between and within nations, driving vicious cycles of grievance, displacement and low growth.

    Your presidency, Ronald, calls for solidarity, and solidarity starts by recognising and naming the victims of war and injustice:

    • innocent Ukrainians enduring bombardment night after night from Odessa to Zaphorizhya
    • the hostages still cruelly held underground by Hamas, 16 months on from the trauma of October the 7th
    • the Palestinian civilians driven from their homes in Gaza and the West Bank
    • the Sudanese refugees flee their burning villages to escape across the border to Chad, the overwhelming majority of them, women and children having endured the most unimaginable and indiscriminate violence

    As I said when I visited Chad, there can be no geopolitical stability, whilst there remains a hierarchy of conflicts, with those on this continent finding themselves at the bottom of the global pile.

    And that’s why, since starting this job, I’ve made a reset with the so called Global South, a central plank of the UK foreign policy, and it’s why I doubled British aid for Sudan, and I prepared a conference in London to push for a political process which will end the fighting and protect civilians.

    And that’s why I’ve called out the Rwandan Defence Force operations in the eastern DRC as a blatant breach of the UN Charter which risks spiralling into a regional conflict, and that’s why I will again make clear to President Kagame, that further breaches of DRC’s sovereignty will have consequences.

    Because at the heart of my government’s approach to foreign policy lies the belief that regional and geopolitical stability can only be delivered through respect for international law and the principles of the UN Charter.

    And as my Canadian, Australian, Japanese colleagues have said, respect for international law must underwrite a free and open Indo Pacific, just as it must underwrite the Euro Atlantic, with the security of those 2 regions ever more closely linked.

    And as we turn to the Middle East, the ceasefire in Gaza is painfully fragile, I’m grateful that so many of us here today are working together to ensure that it holds we must continue to work together tirelessly to secure the release of the remaining hostages, to bolster the Palestinian Authority, and to boost aid into Gaza and to develop a long term plan for governance and security on the strip so that we can advance towards, a two-state solution, which remains the only long-term viable pathway to peace.

    And finally, in Ukraine, the only just and lasting peace will be a peace that is consistent with the UN Charter, and we want that as soon as possible.

    You know, mature countries learn from their colonial failures and their wars, and Europeans have had much to learn over the generations and the centuries.

    But I’m afraid to say that Russia has learned nothing. I listened carefully to Minister Lavrov intervention just now – he’s, of course, left his seat -hoping to hear some readiness to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty.

    I was hoping to hear some sympathy for the innocent victims of the aggression. I was hoping to hear some readiness to seek a durable peace.

    What I heard was the logic of imperialism dressed up as a realpolitik, and I say to you all, we should not be surprised, but neither should we be fooled.

    We are at a crucial juncture in this conflict, and Russia faces a test. If Putin is serious about a lasting peace, it means finding a way forward which respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and the UN Charter which provides credible security guarantees, and which rejects Tsarist imperialism, and Britain is ready to listen.

    But we expect to hear more than the Russian gentleman’s tired fabrications.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Release of Eli Sharabi

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Release of Eli Sharabi

    The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 8 February 2025.

    I shared the relief of so many at Eli Sharabi’s release earlier today but was dismayed to see his frail condition and the circumstances of his release. Having met his relatives I appreciate the deep pain they have endured and my thoughts are with them.

    We must continue to see all the hostages freed – these people were ripped away from their lives in the most brutal circumstances and held in appalling conditions. The ceasefire must hold and all efforts need to focus on full implementation of the remaining phases. This includes the return of further hostages, the continued increase of aid into Gaza and securing lasting peace in the Middle East.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2025 Speech at the EU-UK Forum

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2025 Speech at the EU-UK Forum

    The speech made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Minister for European Union Relations, on 4 February 2025.

    Many thanks, Paul, and many thanks to the EU-UK Forum for organising this conference.

    And, of course, for the invitation for me to come along to speak.

    I suppose I should also say a big thank you to the Prime Minister for the warm-up act last night.

    It’s a real pleasure to share a stage with my EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic.

    Even though, of course, Maros joined us virtually, our mutual goal of reaching a better UK EU relationship is very real.

    And today, I want to explain why that is so important…

    …what it could mean for the UK and for Europe…

    …and what I believe the defining structure of that relationship could look like.

    It is obvious to me – as I am sure it is to all of you – that at a time of such intense global change, the UK and the EU have many mutually aligned interests and challenges.

    We want increased prosperity…

    … we want to strengthen our security…

    …and we want our citizens to be safe.

    Those joint challenges that we face were powerfully set out by our UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves…

    …and, indeed, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen just last week.

    In her growth speech, my Friend the Chancellor didn’t shy away from the economic challenges that we are confronting. She said:

    “Growth will not come without a fight. Without a government willing to take the right decisions now to change our country’s future for the better.

    “But for too long, that potential has been held back.”

    On the same day, the President von der Leyen presented the ‘Competitiveness Compass’ saying that, and I quote:

    “Europe has everything it needs to succeed. But, at the same time, we must fix our weaknesses to regain competitiveness.”

    The ‘Competitive Compass’ sets out the importance of “trade openness”, “not only for sustaining Europe’s prosperity, but also for enhancing its resilience”.

    We know that low growth is not the destiny for our economies.

    Research and innovation…

    …reducing red tape…

    …a new skills agenda…

    …boosting productivity…

    …a more resilient economy…

    …all these elements found in the Compass are also crucial parts of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

    These are areas of mutual interest to both of our economies

    It is also clear about the vital interconnection between security and prosperity…

    …that is why the work we are all engaged in – that Maroš and I are driving forward – is so vital.

    In the UK and indeed in Brussels – we are clear-eyed about the scale of challenges that we face – and the opportunities for growth and innovation.

    The European Union is the UK’s biggest trading partner, with trade totalling – in 2023 – over £800bn.

    Many of our best education and science facilities have lifelong links…

    …and our collaboration on research and development has been the springboard for hugely successful innovations that have driven growth and jobs.

    And in a more uncertain world, we are regularly reminded that allies are more secure together than they are apart.

    This Government’s position is simple: the UK and the EU are linked through trade and international organisations like NATO…

    …and even though we voted to leave the EU, our role as key allies and trade partner remains.

    We know that for these relationships to flourish, trust is a vital ingredient.

    This Government recognises that the UK’s signature means something.

    So, we are committed to implementing the Trade and Co-operation Agreement and the Windsor Framework and building on that structure to address emerging challenges and opportunities.

    Now, I want to say – straightforwardly – that we see real opportunities to improve the status quo.

    As ‘Businesseurope’ set out in their report this Autumn:

    “There remain many unnecessary barriers to trade and investment. Following the elections of new governments in the EU and UK, there is a clear opportunity to upgrade the relationship to deliver for businesses and citizens.”

    I agree with them.

    A study published last year showed that between 2021 and 2023, the goods EU businesses export to the UK were down by 32%…

    …while UK goods exports to the EU were down by 27%.

    That is not good for British business or European businesses…

    …especially at a time when our economies need a kickstart.

    Reducing trade barriers is of mutual benefit to the UK and the EU.

    [redacted political content]

    It was vital that we re-joined Horizon…

    …we should never have left in the first place…

    …but the gap in continuity and other challenges means we haven’t together achieved as much as we could have done.

    It’s especially bad when global competition for innovation has never been fiercer.

    When the UK should have been working more closely with international law enforcement on security…

    …we frankly wasted years undermining the role of the ECHR, in pursuit of a doomed Rwanda deportation scheme.

    We cannot continue in this way with one of our largest, most important partners…

    …that is why this Government will always work in the UK’s national interest…

    …and for me, that means being a ruthlessly pragmatic negotiator.

    That means making the case for closer working with our allies in the EU, to make people across the UK and the EU safer, more secure and more prosperous…

    …that means making sure that we are working to strengthen cooperation, moving away from a zero sum, win, lose dynamic we have seen in recent years…

    …and that is the spirit I take into discussions with the EU.

    The UK and the EU have many mutually beneficial interests…

    …I want to build on these as we work to reset our relationship…

    …to help construct a more secure, a safer and a more prosperous UK and EU.

    Now this British Government was elected on a mandate…

    …to strengthen national security by reconnecting with our allies…

    …to increase people’s safety through strong borders…

    …and increase prosperity through growth.

    Our European friends are a part of every single one of those priorities…

    …and I believe it’s these priorities that form the three pillars of a reset in our relationship.

    On security – you saw yesterday how seriously we’re taking this.

    Our Prime Minister met with all 27 of the EU leaders and the Secretary General of NATO…

    …discussing the common threats we face…

    …and the value that closer EU-UK cooperation on defence could bring…

    …whether it’s securing undersea cables or working together on research and development.

    On safety – I am clear that if we want to protect our respective borders and keep our citizens safe, then we need to work together.

    That is the only way we’re going to break up the vile global trade in human trafficking…

    …that’s the only way to tackle organised crime and terrorism, which plagues us all.

    And on prosperity – if we want to grow our economies…

    …and boost our living standards…

    …then we need to reduce barriers to UK and EU trade.

    And I am pleased to say that – that on all three of these issues – we are making progress.

    On security, the Prime Minister and the President of the European Council have made clear they wanted closer cooperation on security and defence…

    …and the EU High Representative and the Foreign Secretary have already agreed to new six-monthly Foreign Policy dialogues

    On safety, we have already increased the UK’s presence at Europol…

    …but I want us to go further.

    We need to find to find ways to better coordinate law enforcement so that we can smash the gangs behind the small boats.

    To make people safer, we must do all we can to strengthen our collective ability to tackle organised crime and work together on illegal migration.

    Afterall, these are shared challenges.

    And on prosperity, we have said we will seek to negotiate a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement to remove barriers to trade…

    …and find ways to resolve issues like the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications.

    We can go much further on energy and the green transition.

    Our Government’s commitment is to Make Britain a Clean Energy superpower by 2030…

    …and together, we need to deliver energy security so that we are never again left exposed as we were when Russia – illegally – invaded Ukraine.

    These challenges all span borders and we must work together to seize opportunities that lie ahead.

    All of this work is supported by much greater cooperation between the UK Government and the EU.

    Right from the very top – with the Prime Minister meeting with President von der Leyen and Council President Costa…

    …agreeing to a leader-level summit that will be held in May, where we hope we can deliver a balanced, yet ambitious outcome to benefit all of our citizens.

    Just before Christmas, our Chancellor attended a meeting of the EU finance ministers…

    …the first time a British Chancellor has been invited to the Eurogroup since Brexit.

    These meetings form only some of the nearly 70 direct engagements…

    …between UK Ministers and our EU counterparts since coming into Government…

    …and I look forward to many more ahead.

    And I say to you all: I look forward to working with you throughout this year and into the future.

    But ladies and gentlemen – the time for ideologically-driven division is over…

    …the time for ruthless pragmatism is now.

    It is through a new partnership between the UK and the EU that we will deliver for the people of the United Kingdom, and for people across the continent.

    The future of the EU and the UK lies beyond the status quo…

    …reaching forward to deliver benefits for all our people to share.

    So, let us rise to our shared challenges and grasp this opportunity.

    Because together we will create a stronger UK and we will create a stronger Europe.

    Thank you very much.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments in Brussels

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments in Brussels

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in Brussels on 3 February 2025.

    Thank you, Mark – it’s very good to be here.

    I should say it’s very good to be back here.

    And as you know, the UK’s commitment to NATO is stronger than ever –

    Because the need for NATO is clearer than ever.

    We’ve had a very good and productive discussion today…

    On how we can meet the rising threats that Russia poses across our continent…

    Including the situation, of course, in Ukraine.

    A couple of weeks ago, as you know, I was in Kyiv…

    I saw residential buildings, destroyed just days before.

    I met soldiers in the ICU…

    Recovering from really terrible burns.

    And I met children, whose parents are out there now…

    On the frontline.

    And, it’s yet another reminder…

    That this is a not a war not just in Ukraine…

    It’s a war on Ukraine…

    Against those children and their future.

    That’s why – together –

    We stand with them.

    We are all working to end this war…

    But let’s be absolutely clear –

    Peace will come through strength.

    And we must do all we can now to support Ukraine’s defence…

    And that means stabilising the front line…

    Providing the kit and the training they need.

    And that’s why, this year…

    The UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever before.

    We need to see all allies stepping up – particularly in Europe.

    President Trump has threatened more sanctions on Russia…

    And it’s clear that that’s got Putin rattled.

    We know that he’s worried about the state of the Russian economy.

    So I’m here to work with our European partners on keeping up the pressure…

    Targeting the energy revenues and the companies supplying his missile factories…

    To crush Putin’s war machine.

    Because ultimately –

    Alongside our military support…

    That is what will bring peace closer.

    And we must keep working together to bolster NATO.

    And as you say, things that would have provoked utter outrage, just a few years ago…

    Have now become almost commonplace:

    Russian spy ships loitering off the British coast…

    A campaign of sabotage across Europe…

    Cyber-attacks, election interference, and attempted assassinations.

    Russia is seeking to destabilise our continent – target our values.

    So we should still be outraged.

    And we must harden European’s defence.

    In the UK we are proud to be a leading NATO ally…

    Part of the Forward Land Forces…

    Helping to police our skies and patrol our seas.

    Our defence spending is of course 2.3% of GDP now…

    And we are working hard work to set the path to 2.5%…

    And NATO plans and requirements…

    As well as the principle of “NATO First”…

    Will be at the heart of our Strategic Defence Review this year.

    Across Europe, we must shoulder more of the burden now –

    Because it is our burden to carry.

    Now that’s what I’ll be discussing at the EU Council this evening.

    We want to deliver an ambitious UK-EU Security partnership…

    To bolster NATO…

    Covering military technology and R&D…

    Improving the mobility of forces across Europe…

    Protecting our critical infrastructure…

    And deepening our industrial collaboration to increase defence production.

    We can’t be commentators when it comes to matters of peace on our continent.

    We must lead.

    And that is what I’m determined to do.

    Thank you so much Mark.