While ruling out rejoining the EU trade bloc five years after Brexit, Starmer said he wants to forge a closer relationship on defence, energy and trade.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at his country estate on Sunday, ahead of talks aimed at strengthening ties with the European Union.
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Starmer hosted Scholz at Chequers, the prime minister's official retreat in Buckinghamshire, about 50 kilometres northwest of London. Their meeting came ahead of a visit to Belgium on Monday, where they will meet with EU leaders as Starmer seeks a “reset” in the UK’s relationship with the bloc.
While ruling out rejoining the EU trade bloc five years after Brexit, Starmer emphasised his desire for closer cooperation on defence, energy, and trade.
“I think that is certainly in the U.K.’s best interest, I do believe it’s in the E.U.’s best interest, and already I hope that in the last seven months there’s been a manifest difference in approach, tone and relationship,” he said.
According to a spokesperson for Starmer, the two leaders also discussed Ukraine and the Middle East, with the prime minister highlighting their shared stance on key global challenges, including continued support for Kyiv as its war with Russia enters its fourth year.
Scholz described the meeting, which included a walk around the estate’s grounds and a working lunch, as a “good sign of the very good relations between our two countries, and indeed between the two of us.”