BRUSSELS — Keir Starmer is set to host EU leaders at a Brexit summit in the U.K. on May 19 to discuss his plans to reset Britain’s relationship with the bloc.
Speaking at a late-night press conference after a meeting with the British prime minister on Monday, European Council President António Costa said the summit would focus on devising “the closest relationship it will be possible to build together.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed the gathering would take place in May and would be in Britain.
“Today we talked about defense and security, but the United Kingdom and the European Union want to do more together,” Costa told reporters.
“We are looking forward to having our institutional summit in the U.K. on 19 of May, and to engage with the United Kingdom, not only on a reset, but effectively in the closest relationship [that] it will be possible to build together.”
Von der Leyen said London and Brussels would “discuss the structure and format” of deeper security cooperation “and other topics at our common joint defense summit in the U.K. in May.”
Since coming to office in July last year the Labour prime minister has pledged to “reset” relations with the EU — which had often been frosty under the previous Conservative U.K. government.
The May summit is expected to flesh out the details of the reset, which has so far been characterized by warm words on both sides but little policy detail.
The format of the meeting and whether member states will be involved has not been confirmed.
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