Starmer hits pro-European tones in urgent speech on unity in uncertain times – snap analysis
Jakub Krupa
in Munich
This was a very pro-European speech by Starmer, at times even resembling Macron’s speech from yesterday – and similarly undercut by serious doubts as to the credibility of the vision he outlined given his precarious future.
His repeated references to “10 years on from Brexit” and “some urgency” in this reset (10:33, 10:56) were particularly interesting: could it be a sign of further rapprochement as we get closer to the actual 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum in June?
Speaking alongside the European Commission’s president, a sign in itself, Starmer has made it pretty clear that his government is very interested in closer defence amid increasingly urgent threat from Russia (10:31, 10:42) and reinvigorating trade ties (10:46), including some sort of alignment with, but not a membership of, the EU single market. And there is some appetite for both of these things on the EU side, too.
But reopening these debates would bring back the usual questions about associated trade offs and political costs, which both are tricky for any UK government, even at the best of times. Just thinking about it give me flashbacks from covering the Brexit years.
There is also a domestic angle to all of that.
As my colleague Jessica Elgot noted last month, the battle over closer ties with Europe is not accidental here as it is likely to be a key dividing line that Labour seeks to draw with Reform.
We heard a bit of that in his comments warning against “the peddlers of easy answers” on “the extremes of left and right” (10:49).
Key events
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Starmer hits pro-European tones in urgent speech on unity in uncertain times – snap analysis
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Starmer says change in EU-UK relations is of ‘some urgency’ amid Ukraine war
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Von der Leyen, Starmer welcome Rubio’s ‘reassuring’ speech
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Starmer warns against ‘peddlers of easy answers’ on ‘extremes of left and right’
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Starmer says UK needs look to ‘move closer’ to EU single market
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Adversaries must know that in crisis, they could be confronted by combined nuclear strength, Macron says hinting at cooperation with France
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Starmer hints at more cooperation to boost Europe’s defence
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Starmer defends US alliance, but says Europe must take ‘primary responsibility’ for its defence to strengthen alliance, Starmer says
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Munich conference applauds Starmer’s break with Brexit years Britain
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‘Solidity of peace is softening,’ Starmer warns, as he points to ‘warning signs’ from Russia
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Europe needs to ‘recaliberate’ its security strategy to respond to challenges, von der Leyen says
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’10 years from Brexit, our futures are as bound as ever,’ von der Leyen says, as she calls for closer relations with UK
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Europe going through ‘awakening’ in response to changing global landscape, von der Leyen says
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Europe experiences ‘shock therapy’ on security as it wakes up from decades of lull, von der Leyen says
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Von der Leyen calls for ‘more independent’ Europe in response to global crises
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China hopes for settlement of Ukraine war, and Europe should be involved, Wang Yi says
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Rubio love bombs Europe in style, while issuing stark warnings on substance, and it seemed to work – snap analysis
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Talks ‘narrowed’ issues on Ukraine, but hardest questions remain unanswered for now, Rubio says
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End of transatlantic era ‘not our goal nor our wish,’ Rubio says
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US does not want allies to ‘rationalise broken status quo’ but face it and fix it, Rubio says
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US not interested in being ‘caretakers of west’s managed decline’, Rubio says in urgent call to reject ‘decline’
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UN, international bodies need to be urgently reformed as ‘we do not live in perfect world,’ Rubio says
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Rubio takes aim at deindustrialisation, mass migration as risks to Europe
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US ‘little direct and urgent in counsel,’ because ‘we care deeply,’ Rubio says
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Rubio talks about postwar delusion mistakes made ‘together’ by Europe and US
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Postwar triumph led to ‘dangerous delusion’ on end of history, Rubio says
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Starmer’s Munich speech alongside EU’s von der Leyen part of rapidly evolving post-Brexit relations – snap analysis
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Morning opening: What will the US say?
Starmer gets asked about domestic politics in Britain now, and if he “narrowly just missed being toppled” in the last few weeks and how much credibility he has to talk about these long-term projects being in a difficult spot politically.
He says he rejects that, as he “ended the week much stronger than I started it.”
“My party and my government is completely united on the question of Ukraine and defence and security and the need for stronger relations with Europe, on defence, on security and on economy as well,” he says.
He says some of these issues have support across the parliament, except for Reform party politicians, which he says are “pro-Putin.”
“Imagine, if they were in government in the United Kingdom, the Coalition of the Willing could not exist with the UK’s participation in it; we would not be seen as a leader on the European or international stage,” he says.
He warns that under Reform, “we would be seen as a country that people couldn’t do business with.”
He says Labour supported the Conservative government’s line on Ukraine when it was in opposition, and he’s happy to see this continue after the change of government in 2024.
And that concludes the Q&A.
On Ukraine, the two leaders get asked about reported US pressure on Ukraine to move to a deal, even at the cost of concessions to Russia.
Von der Leyen says it’s important not to fall for Russian propaganda narrative on the war, which she says “is a huge failure” for Putin.
She says it’s important to put pressure on Putin to get him to take peace talks seriously.
Starmer also notes that “we are not dealing with two equal parties,” as “there is an aggressor, which is Russia, and there is Ukraine, which has been subject to attack.”
Starmer gets asked on Greenland and whether he thinks the US threats about the territory are now firmly in the past.
He says he is pleased “that is now in a process of dialogue, which is where it should have been.”
He says the Arctic security is “really important for all of us,” and “we need to do more,” and he is happy that “across Europe, we stuck to those values and principles about sovereignty.”
Talking about relations with the US, von der Leyen also stresses the importance of EU’s digital sovereignty – a pointed remark to the US saying it won’t back down on digital regulation, despite US criticism.
She says “we will not flinch” on that and on online safety.
Macron also made a point about this in his speech yesterday.
Starmer says change in EU-UK relations is of ‘some urgency’ amid Ukraine war
Stressing the importance of the relationship with the US, Starmer says that “the reality on the ground so far as the UK is concerned is we are working with the US on defence, security and intelligence, 24/7, every single day.”
“I’m often urged back in my own parliament that we should walk away from what we’ve got, and I reject that,” he says.
He also returns to his comments about the need to restart Britain’s relationship with the EU ten years on from Brexit.
“This is of some urgency, because I think that on defence and security … until Ukraine conflict we didn’t really wake up the reality that we’re facing,” he says.
Von der Leyen, Starmer welcome Rubio’s ‘reassuring’ speech
Von der Leyen and Starmer are asked to respond to Rubio’s speech earlier.
Von der Leyen says she was “very much reassured” by what she heard, and she says she is “aligned” with him on the call for Europe to step up its preparedness and face the challenges ahead (though presumably she wouldn’t necessarily agree with his comments on climate policies or migration).
Starmer says Rubio’s comments were “consistent” with what he and von der Leyen are arguing for.
But he says:
“I think it’s really clear, though, that we shouldn’t get in the warm bath of complacency and think that therefore, all we’re really doing is reasserting the continuation of what we’ve had for the last 80 years. That would be a mistake, and it’d be a particular mistake for Europe.”
Asked about Europe and the EU stuck between Russia and a more assertive US, von der Leyen says she would never compare the US to Russia.
She says “Russia is a real threat to us, without any question.”
Starmer warns against ‘peddlers of easy answers’ on ‘extremes of left and right’
Starmer says he understands the politics of it all, but insists “the status quo is not fit for purpose.”
“To me, there’s no question where the national interest lies, and I will always fight for what’s best for my country,” he says.
He says in the past, leaders were “too slow to leve with the public” about the threats Europe faced.
He pointedly criticises “the peddlers of easy answers” on “the extremes of left and right” who as “soft on Russia, weak of Nato if not outright oppose to” it.
“The future they offer is one of division and then capitulation,” he warns, saying “the lamps would go out across Europe once again.”
But, he insists, “we will not let that happen.”
And we turn into the Q&A with von der Leyen now.
Starmer says UK needs look to ‘move closer’ to EU single market
Starmer says the UK needs to work more closely with the EU, building on last year’s summit seeking to reset post-Brexit relations.
He says the UK wants to be involved in defence tech and AI “to drive greater coherence and coordination across Europe.”
He pointedly references Germany, France, Italy and Poland as key partners, as well as Norway, Canada and Turkey.
He says the UK is ready and sees the urgency to act also on economic alignment with the EU.
“So we must look at where we could move closer to the single market in other sectors as well, where that would work for both sides,” he says.
“The prize here is greater security, stronger growth for the United Kingdom and the EU, which will fuel increased defence spending and the chance to place the UK at the centre of a wave of European industrial renewal.”
He has been ramping up this rhetoric since the beginning of the year:
Adversaries must know that in crisis, they could be confronted by combined nuclear strength, Macron says hinting at cooperation with France
Starmer also picks up the question of nuclear cooperation with France, referenced by Macron (and Merz) yesterday.
He says that “for decades, the United Kingdom has been the only nuclear power in Europe to commit its deterrent to protect all Nato members.”
But he adds that “any adversary must know that in a crisis, they could be confronted by our combined strength.”
(Guess that’s a hint as to what we’re going to hear from Macron’s nuclear speech later this month.)
Starmer hints at more cooperation to boost Europe’s defence
Oh, look! As predicted (9:00), Starmer references the €90bn loan to Ukraine and “welcome the steps … which could allow us to participate.”
He says he hopes “we can work together like this going forward,” referencing some recent decisions seeking to strengthen Europe’s ability to defend itself.
He says the UK will deploy its carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North this year “in a powerful show of our commitment to Euro-Atlantic security.”
Starmer now turns to broader European policy, saying “Europe is a sleeping giant” that “dwarfs” Russia’s economy more than 10 times over.
But he says that it remains too fragmented, and at times “wildly inefficient” with different, competing types of frigates or tanks it uses.
(As right as he is, it is a bit ironic to be hearing all that from the PM of a country that has actively thrived on the idea of its exceptionalism in Europe.)
“Now the US security umbrella has allowed these bad habits to develop, but now we must break them,” he says.
Starmer defends US alliance, but says Europe must take ‘primary responsibility’ for its defence to strengthen alliance, Starmer says
Starmer then defends the UK and Europe’s relationship with the US, which he calls “an indispensable ally,” with “unparalled” contribution to the continent’s safety.
But he says “we recognise that things are changing,” as he refers the US national security strategy’s suggestion of its focus shifting away from Europe.
“Europe must take primary responsibility for its own defence, that is the new normal,” he says.
He says there is no point in pretending “we can simply replace all US capabilities,” but “we should focus on diverisfying and decreasing some dependencies.”
“We should deliver generational investments that move us from overdependence to interdependence,” he says.
He talks about “a vision of European security and greater European autonomy that does not herald US withdrawal, but answers the call for more burden sharing.”
He also makes a passing reference to Europeans “asserting each other’s sovereignty as we did on Greenland.”
He then praises Nato’s unique role in history – and pointedly references the alliance’s contribution in Afghanistan, recently questioned by Trump.
And he says that the UK’s commitment to Article Five clause is “as profound now as ever,” and “if called on, the UK would come to your air today.”
He gets some applause for that.
