U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing a defense pact with the European Union to support Ukraine if Donald Trump withdraws support for Kyiv, he told U.K news outlet The Independent.
The Prime Minister spoke of bolstering Ukraine’s defenses alongside his NATO allies, as the American president elect has previously said that he will end military aid to Ukraine once in office again.
Newsweek reached out to the UK’s Ministry of Defense for comment via email and the Trump transition team for comment via email outside of business hours.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaking to attendees at a business reception in Estonia on December 17, 2024. Starmer recently spoke about forming a defense pact with Europe. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaking to attendees at a business reception in Estonia on December 17, 2024. Starmer recently spoke about forming a defense pact with Europe. Leon Neal/Associated Press
Why It Matters
Starmer’s push for a defense pact with the EU is significant because it is indicative of what European leaders are anticipating will happen during Trump’s second term, as they try to bolster Ukraine’s defenses prior to when he takes office.
This is also one of the U.K. government’s recent efforts to work on relations with the EU following the Brexit vote in 2016 which saw the nation leave the union.
What To Know
Starmer spoke about his desire to form a defense and security pact with the EU previously, which would entail coordination on capability, funding, and the training of troops.
The Prime Minister’s call to the EU to collaborate on future defense efforts came as he was visiting Estonia for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit, in which member states signed a joint statement endorsing the principles of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s victory plan.
Established in 2014, the U.K.-led defense corporation has member states including the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Estonia.
When asked how this defense pact would work in practice, Starmer referred to the British troops currently training in Norway and the 1,000 troops deployed in Estonia.
Since his election, this is not the first time the Prime Minister has pushed for defense improvements as he launched the Strategic Defense Review in July, which is a “root and branch review” of U.K. defense capabilities.
In an effort to improve relations with the EU, the Prime Minister signed the Trinity House Agreement with Germany in October, that aimed to bolster European security.
This push for a defense pact with the EU comes after president elect Trump has said that he would end the Russia-Ukraine war “in 24 hours,” and some European leaders have feared that in negotiating for peace, he will cease providing military support for Ukraine.
What People Are Saying
Starmer told The Independent: “We are living in an ever more volatile world – you can feel that intensely in relation to the situation in Ukraine. We’re at a critical point and it’s really important that we double down and are clear that we must put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, whether there are negotiations or not. That means increasing capability, it means increasing funding and it means increasing training – that has to be coordinated. We have to cooperate.”
He added: “You can see that the conflict in Ukraine is already broader than a European conflict. And, of course, you can make the links between that and the actors in the Middle East, particularly Iran.”
“For all those reasons, it’s very important to be here with the message that we must double down and put Ukraine in the strongest possible position and coordinate as effectively as we can with our partners – which is what the JEF meeting [on Tuesday] is really all about.”
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Dave Lawrence, a Labour party supporter, wrote: “This is vital with Trump threatening to pull out of NATO Starmer reveals Brexit reset plans for new EU defense pact with Ukraine warning.”
Robert Johnson, a historian and author, wrote: “Sir Keir Starmer has refused to commit to increasing defence spending to 3 percent as he insisted the priority was “working collectively” with Nato allies. The PM will only say there’s “a pathway” to 2.5 percent. Too little, too late? Does the U.K. show the leadership we expect of a P5 nation?”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen how the U.K.’s desired defense pact with the EU will develop, and how Trump’s decisions regarding Ukraine will affect the agreement.
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