‘Solidity of peace is softening,’ Starmer warns, as he points to ‘warning signs’ from Russia

Starmer says that “for many years, for most people in the UK war has been remote: something that concerns us deeply, but which happens far away.”

But now “the solidity of peace” has been “softening,” he says.

He says leaders need to get ahead of the “warning signs” from Russia and get ready for what could come in the future.

He says:

“All of the warning signs are there.

Russia has proved its appetite for aggression, bringing terrible suffering to the Ukrainian people.

Its hybrid threats extend across our continent, not just threatening our security, but tearing at our social contract, collaborating with populists who undermine our values, using disinformation to sow division, using cyber-attacks and sabotage to disrupt our lives and deepening the cost of living crisis.”

He says that Russia “has made a huge strategic blunder” in Ukraine, but it continues to rearm and as Nato says it could be ready to use force against the alliance “by the end of this decade.”

He says that even if there is a peace deal in Ukraine, “the wider danger for Europe would not end there,” but only increase.

He says “we do not seek conflict,” but we need to “face these threats”.

“We must be able to deter aggression, and yes, if necessary, we must be ready to fight, to do whatever it takes to protect our people, our values, and our way of live.”

He adds that “as Europe, we must stand own on our own two feet now,” and that means “putting away petty politics and short term concerns” but focusing on working together.

He says it means “acting together to build a stronger Europe and a more European Nato underpinned by deeper links between the UK and the EU.”

Share

Key events

Show key events only

Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature

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.”

Share

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.

ShareStarmer 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.

ShareVon 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.”

ShareStarmer 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.

ShareStarmer 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:

ShareAdversaries 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.)

ShareStarmer 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.”

Share

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.

ShareStarmer 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.

Share