Politics · United Kingdom · 2 hrs ago
Starmer says Europe must take more responsibility for its own defence
Keir Starmer urged Europe to take more responsibility for its defence in a speech in Dublin.
The former UK prime minister said the shift in the US relationship with Europe is a permanent change, not just a Trump-era exception.
He pointed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Donald Trump’s demand that European allies carry more of their own security costs.
Starmer said the UK should be at the heart of closer European security cooperation, while keeping its military and intelligence alliance with the US.
He argued that Europe needs a shared security framework, as well as a common market, and said Britain should also pursue closer economic ties with Europe.
His comments come as UK and EU leaders prepare for a summit next month focused on agreements including food standards, energy and youth mobility.
Starmer has left frontline politics and said he wants to focus on international affairs.
Keir Starmer said Europe must take far more responsibility for its own defence and security.
He said the change in the US-Europe defence relationship was permanent, not an aberration of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Starmer called for a common European security framework, with the UK at its centre.
He said the US military, security and intelligence alliance remained important.
He made the remarks at a British Irish Chamber of Commerce event in Dublin, in his first significant political intervention since leaving office.
- Who
- Keir Starmer, the former UK prime minister.
- What
- He called for Europe to take greater responsibility for its defence and for the UK to be central to closer European security cooperation.
- When
- Friday; the articles were published on 31 October and 1 November 2026.
- Where
- At a British Irish Chamber of Commerce event in Dublin.
- Why
- He said the US-Europe defence relationship had permanently changed and that Europe had been caught unprepared for security challenges.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Starmer called for closer European ties amid Trump’s war with Iran and threats to withdraw from Nato.
Starmer stepped down as prime minister, according to the Guardian.
Starmer spoke at a British Irish Chamber of Commerce event in Dublin and called for greater European responsibility for defence.
- Event
- British Irish Chamber of Commerce dinner in Dublin
- Speaker
- Keir Starmer
- Proposed framework
- Common security framework alongside a common market
- UK role
- Starmer said Britain must be central to the European security project
- US relationship
- Starmer said the military, security and intelligence alliance remained important
2 sources
What people are saying
A stronger Europe is vital and the UK must be at the heart of it
We have to catch up.
This is about responding to a permanent change of affairs, not an aberration of the Trump presidency. Things will not go back to the way they were before.
But it does mean enabling Europe to take on far more responsibility for its own defence and security.