As 45 European leaders meet in England for a summit, EU-UK ties, the Ukraine crisis, and the US elections are anticipated to take center stage. Blenheim Palace will host the fourth European Political Community conference.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer sees the meeting as a chance despite the formal issues of migration, security, and energy cooperation. The summit will be his second meeting with foreign leaders since taking office two weeks ago.
The UK government wants to improve security and combat unlawful immigration. Starmer is also likely to use the conference to mend ties with the EU and pursue military accord discussions.
London School of Economics research fellow Iain Begg believes the meeting will improve UK-EU relations, moving away from previous administrations’ animosity. Short-term adjustments may include veterinary standards and artist liberties, while long-term ambitions include enhancing the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
European Council President Charles Michel and other EU leaders will attend the meeting, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will vote in Strasbourg. The new British government’s efforts to strengthen EU connections are welcomed by EU authorities.
The meeting has an official agenda, but the key topics are anticipated to be EU-UK ties, the Ukraine war, and the US elections.
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