Prime Minister Starmer warned that "the world is becoming fragile."
Ten years after the referendum that led to Brexit, the United Kingdom and the European Union intend to unite in an increasingly unstable world.
Closer Ranks
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen stated at the Munich Security Conference that Europe and the UK need to cooperate more closely on "security, economy... protecting our democracies."
"Europe and, in particular, the UK must unite... Ten years after Brexit, our future is still closely linked," she said at the Munich Security Conference.
We Are at a Crossroads
British leader Keir Starmer supported her view. "My message today is this: the United Kingdom is ready. We see the necessity. We want to work together," Starmer said. He spoke about London’s readiness to play a more active role in strengthening European security.
"We are not at a crossroads: there is a clear and direct path ahead. We must build our physical strength, because that is the currency of our time," he said at the Munich Conference.
Once, the English succumbed to demagogic bravado. But now Starmer emphasized that the UK "is no longer a country of the Brexit era," and isolation in the modern world means losing control.
At the same time, Starmer warned that "the world is becoming fragile." According to him, Russia is betting on aggression, disinformation, and cyberattacks, as well as collaborating with populist forces in Western countries. Even a possible end to the war in Ukraine will not eliminate the threat, the UK Prime Minister believes.
"Europe is a sleeping giant. Our economies exceed Russia’s by more than ten times. We have enormous defense capabilities. And yet, too often the outcome is less than the sum of our capabilities," Keir Starmer stated.
"We must be able to deter aggression and, yes, if necessary, we must be ready to fight," he said, calling for the creation of "a common industrial base across Europe that can significantly accelerate our defense production" and "multiply our capabilities."
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