"UK's Keir Starmer Makes Surprise Move in Armenia, Pushes for EU Loan Participation Amid Ukraine Conflict In a significant move ahead of the UK's elections on Thursday, Labour leader Keir Starmer has announced that he wants the UK to join the EU's massive €90 billion (£78 billion) loan for Ukraine. Starmer is currently attending a European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia, where he hopes to secure British support for the initiative. The loan, which would provide Ukraine with desperately needed capabilities, could also unlock opportunities for British businesses to fill urgent needs and secure major contracts. This move marks a significant step towards a new ambitious relationship between the UK and EU, building on the prime minister's calls for deeper defence and security cooperation. As the UK and EU prepare to discuss further economic and security cooperation at a summit this summer, Starmer's push for participation in the EU loan could have far-reaching implications for the UK's future ties with the EU."
The prime minister is backing the deal as it would allow British firms to access the contracts funded by the loanGood morning. In the UK many MPs will be spending the bank holiday campaigning for the elections on Thursday, but Keir Starmer is in Armenia, where he has announced that he wants the UK to join the EU’s €90bn (£78bn) loan for Ukraine.Starmer is attending a European Political Community summit in Yerevan. The EPC is the group set up four years ago comprising all the EU countries, plus almost all the other European countries that are not EU members. Mark Carney, the Canadian PM, is also attending (on the grounds, presumably, that in the light of the geopolitical upheavel caused by Donald Trump, the Canadians now count as honorary Europeans.)In relation to the EU loan that we are discussing participating in, that is very good for Ukraine, because it will give Ukraine capability that is desperately needs in year five of this conflict.It’s very good for the UK, because of the capability that leads to jobs in the United Kingdom.The extra funding to Ukraine could unlock opportunity for British businesses to fill urgent capability needs for Ukraine as part of the initiative and give British defence industry access to major contracts.The move is a significant step towards a new ambitious relationship between the UK and EU – building on the prime minister’s calls at the Munich Security Conference in February to deepen defence and security cooperation to match the rapidly evolving threats faced by both sides. It also comes ahead of the UK – EU summit, expected to be held this summer, where both sides will discuss further economic and security cooperation. Continue reading...
