Starmer: Britain Faces a Historic National Security Challenge
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the country is facing a historic national security challenge and emphasized the importance of increased defense spending across Europe.
Speaking to Sky News before heading to Paris for talks with European leaders on Ukraine, Starmer stated, “We must continue to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position… and ensure that if there is peace—and we all want peace—it is a sustainable peace.”
He added, “The challenge we face is not just about Ukraine’s front line… it is the front line of Europe and the United Kingdom. It is our national security.”
Starmer is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump next week, according to his spokesperson.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on X upon her arrival in Paris that Europe’s security is at a turning point, stressing the need for the continent to strengthen its defense efforts.
European Council President António Costa said that the Paris meeting marks the beginning of a process that “will continue with the participation of all partners committed to peace and security in Europe.”
He added, “The European Union and its member states will play a central role in this process.”
The gathering of European leaders in Paris, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, comes as Russia prepares to hold talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia regarding the war in Ukraine.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump surprised European leaders by making a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin and announcing that he would initiate talks with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
