In a significant development for post-Brexit Europe, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in London late last month to chart a new course for UK-EU relations. Their meeting served as a crucial preparatory step for a larger summit scheduled this month, where London and Brussels aim to formalize a comprehensive security and defense pact.

The road to this point has been a long and complicated one. Since the 2016 referendum, in which a majority of British voters opted to leave the European Union, political leaders on both sides of the Channel have wrestled with the evolving nature of their relationship. While the UK officially left the EU in 2020, Brexit’s aftermath left numerous issues unsettled, particularly in areas such as trade, fishing, security, and foreign policy.

Starmer, who became Labour Party leader in 2020 and secured a landslide election victory in 2024, has made it clear he wants to realign Britain closer to Europe – but cautiously. Aware that many Labour voters also supported Brexit, he has promised not to reopen the Brexit debate itself, instead focusing on pragmatic cooperation where mutual interests align. In contrast to the tumultuous and often antagonistic approach of his Conservative predecessors, Starmer’s strategy hinges on rebuilding trust and creating a spirit of partnership with Europe.

Central to this strategy is the pursuit of a new UK-EU security agreement, which was a key pledge in Labour’s 2024 election manifesto. Both London and Brussels are eager to strike a deal, but their motivations differ subtly. For Starmer, a successful security pact would symbolize a decisive break from the past, demonstrating that his leadership represents competence, stability, and a reset in British-European relations. Importantly, it........

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