‘Solidity of peace is softening,’ Starmer warns, as he points to ‘warning signs’ from Russia<\/p>\n
Starmer <\/strong>says that \u201cfor many years, for most people in the UK war has been remote: something that concerns us deeply, but which happens far away.\u201d<\/p>\n But now \u201cthe solidity of peace\u201d has been \u201csoftening,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n He says leaders need to get ahead of the \u201cwarning signs\u201d from Russia<\/a> and get ready for what could come in the future.<\/p>\n He says:<\/p>\n \u201cAll of the warning signs are there. <\/strong><\/p>\n Russia has proved its appetite for aggression, bringing terrible suffering to the Ukrainian people.<\/p>\n 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n He says that Russia \u201chas made a huge strategic blunder\u201d in Ukraine<\/a>, but it continues to rearm and as Nato says it could be ready to use force against the alliance \u201cby the end of this decade.\u201d<\/p>\n He says that even if there is a peace deal in Ukraine, \u201cthe wider danger for Europe<\/a> would not end there,\u201d but only increase.<\/p>\n He says \u201cwe do not seek conflict,\u201d but we need to \u201cface these threats\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n He adds that \u201cas Europe, we must stand own on our own two feet now,\u201d and that means \u201cputting away petty politics and short term concerns\u201d but focusing on working together.<\/p>\n He says it means \u201cacting together to build a stronger Europe and a more European Nato underpinned by deeper links between the UK and the EU.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n 5m ago<\/p>\n Starmer says change in EU-UK relations is of ‘some urgency’ amid Ukraine war<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 9m ago<\/p>\n Von der Leyen, Starmer welcome Rubio’s ‘reassuring’ speech<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 12m ago<\/p>\n Starmer warns against ‘peddlers of easy answers’ on ‘extremes of left and right’<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 15m ago<\/p>\n Starmer says UK needs look to ‘move closer’ to EU single market<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 18m ago<\/p>\n Adversaries must know that in crisis, they could be confronted by combined nuclear strength, Macron says hinting at cooperation with France<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 20m ago<\/p>\n Starmer hints at more cooperation to boost Europe’s defence<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 24m ago<\/p>\n Starmer defends US alliance, but says Europe must take ‘primary responsibility’ for its defence to strengthen alliance, Starmer says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 29m ago<\/p>\n Munich conference applauds Starmer’s break with Brexit years Britain<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 30m ago<\/p>\n ‘Solidity of peace is softening,’ Starmer warns, as he points to ‘warning signs’ from Russia<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 38m ago<\/p>\n Europe needs to ‘recaliberate’ its security strategy to respond to challenges, von der Leyen says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 40m ago<\/p>\n ’10 years from Brexit, our futures are as bound as ever,’ von der Leyen says, as she calls for closer relations with UK<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 42m ago<\/p>\n Europe going through ‘awakening’ in response to changing global landscape, von der Leyen says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 44m ago<\/p>\n Europe experiences ‘shock therapy’ on security as it wakes up from decades of lull, von der Leyen says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 47m ago<\/p>\n Von der Leyen calls for ‘more independent’ Europe in response to global crises<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 1h ago<\/p>\n China hopes for settlement of Ukraine war, and Europe should be involved, Wang Yi says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 1h ago<\/p>\n Rubio love bombs Europe in style, while issuing stark warnings on substance, and it seemed to work – snap analysis<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 1h ago<\/p>\n Talks ‘narrowed’ issues on Ukraine, but hardest questions remain unanswered for now, Rubio says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n End of transatlantic era ‘not our goal nor our wish,’ Rubio says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n US does not want allies to ‘rationalise broken status quo’ but face it and fix it, Rubio says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n US not interested in being ‘caretakers of west’s managed decline’, Rubio says in urgent call to reject ‘decline’<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n UN, international bodies need to be urgently reformed as ‘we do not live in perfect world,’ Rubio says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Rubio takes aim at deindustrialisation, mass migration as risks to Europe<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n US ‘little direct and urgent in counsel,’ because ‘we care deeply,’ Rubio says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Rubio talks about postwar delusion mistakes made ‘together’ by Europe and US<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Postwar triumph led to ‘dangerous delusion’ on end of history, Rubio says<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Starmer’s Munich speech alongside EU’s von der Leyen part of rapidly evolving post-Brexit relations – snap analysis<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n 2h ago<\/p>\n Morning opening: What will the US say?<\/p>\n <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> gets asked on Greenland and whether he thinks the US threats about the territory are now firmly in the past.<\/p>\n He says he is pleased \u201cthat is now in a process of dialogue, which is where it should have been.\u201d<\/p>\n He says the Arctic security is \u201creally important for all of us,\u201d and \u201cwe need to do more,\u201d and he is happy that \u201cacross Europe<\/a>, we stuck to those values and principles about sovereignty.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Talking about relations with the US, von der Leyen<\/strong> also stresses the importance of EU\u2019s digital sovereignty \u2013 a pointed remark to the US saying it won\u2019t back down on digital regulation, despite US criticism.<\/p>\n She says \u201cwe will not flinch\u201d on that and on online safety.<\/p>\n Macron also made a point about this in his speech yesterday.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer says change in EU-UK relations is of ‘some urgency’ amid Ukraine war<\/p>\n Stressing the importance of the relationship with the US, Starmer <\/strong>says that \u201cthe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m often urged back in my own parliament that we should walk away from what we\u2019ve got, and I reject that,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n He also returns to his comments about the need to restart Britain\u2019s relationship with the EU ten years on from Brexit.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is of some urgency, because I think that on defence and security \u2026 until Ukraine<\/a> conflict we didn\u2019t really wake up the reality that we\u2019re facing,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Von der Leyen, Starmer welcome Rubio’s ‘reassuring’ speech<\/p>\n Von der Leyen <\/strong>and Starmer<\/strong> are asked to respond to Rubio\u2019s speech earlier.<\/p>\n Von der Leyen<\/strong> says she was \u201cvery much reassured\u201d by what she heard, and she says she is \u201caligned\u201d with him on the call for Europe<\/a> to step up its preparedness and face the challenges ahead (though presumably she wouldn\u2019t necessarily agree with his comments on climate policies or migration).<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says Rubio\u2019s comments were \u201cconsistent\u201d with what he and von der Leyen are arguing for.<\/p>\n But he says:<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s really clear, though, that we shouldn\u2019t get in the warm bath of complacency<\/strong> and think that therefore, all we\u2019re really doing is reasserting the continuation of what we\u2019ve had for the last 80 years. That would be a mistake, and it\u2019d be a particular mistake for Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Asked about Europe and the EU stuck between Russia<\/a> and a more assertive US, von der Leyen says she would never compare the US to Russia.<\/p>\n She says \u201cRussia is a real threat to us, without any question.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer warns against ‘peddlers of easy answers’ on ‘extremes of left and right’<\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> says he understands the politics of it all, but insists \u201cthe status quo is not fit for purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, there\u2019s no question where the national interest lies, and I will always fight for what\u2019s best for my country,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n He says in the past, leaders were \u201ctoo slow to leve with the public\u201d about the threats Europe<\/a> faced.<\/p>\n He pointedly criticises \u201cthe peddlers of easy answers\u201d on \u201cthe extremes of left and right\u201d who as \u201csoft on Russia<\/a>, weak of Nato if not outright oppose to\u201d it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe future they offer is one of division and then capitulation,\u201d he warns, saying \u201cthe lamps would go out across Europe once again.\u201d<\/p>\n But, he insists, \u201cwe will not let that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n And we turn into the Q&A with von der Leyen now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer says UK needs look to ‘move closer’ to EU single market<\/p>\n Starmer <\/strong>says the UK needs to work more closely with the EU, building on last year\u2019s summit seeking to reset post-Brexit relations.<\/p>\n He says the UK wants to be involved in defence tech and AI \u201cto drive greater coherence and coordination across Europe<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointedly references Germany, France, Italy <\/strong>and Poland<\/strong> as key partners, as well as Norway, Canada <\/strong>and Turkey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n He says the UK is ready and sees the urgency to act also on economic alignment with the EU.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cSo 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,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n He has been ramping up this rhetoric since the beginning of the year:<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Adversaries must know that in crisis, they could be confronted by combined nuclear strength, Macron says hinting at cooperation with France<\/p>\n Starmer <\/strong>also picks up the question of nuclear cooperation with France, referenced by Macron (and Merz) yesterday.<\/p>\n He says that \u201cfor decades, the United Kingdom has been the only nuclear power in Europe<\/a> to commit its deterrent to protect all Nato members.\u201d<\/p>\n But he adds that \u201cany adversary must know that in a crisis, they could be confronted by our combined strength.\u201d<\/p>\n (Guess that\u2019s a hint as to what we\u2019re going to hear from Macron\u2019s nuclear speech later this month.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer hints at more cooperation to boost Europe’s defence<\/p>\n Oh, look! As predicted (9:00<\/a>), Starmer <\/strong>references the \u20ac90bn loan to Ukraine and \u201cwelcome the steps \u2026 which could allow us to participate.\u201d<\/p>\n He says he hopes \u201cwe can work together like this going forward,\u201d referencing some recent decisions seeking to strengthen Europe\u2019s ability to defend itself.<\/p>\n He says the UK will deploy its carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and the High North this year \u201cin a powerful show of our commitment to Euro-Atlantic security.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Starmer<\/strong> now turns to broader European policy, saying \u201cEurope is a sleeping giant\u201d that \u201cdwarfs\u201d Russia\u2019s economy more than 10 times over.<\/p>\n But he says that it remains too fragmented, and at times \u201cwildly inefficient\u201d with different, competing types of frigates or tanks it uses.<\/p>\n (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.)<\/p>\n \u201cNow the US security umbrella has allowed these bad habits to develop, but now we must break them,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n
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