Starmer Urges Europe to Strengthen Defense Independence from US
Former UK PM Keir Starmer warns Europe to develop a shared security framework as US becomes less reliable for defense support.
POLICY WIRE — London, UK — Former UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is calling for a significant shift in European defence strategy. In a stark warning, he emphasized that European countries can no longer depend on the United States for financial and military support in the same way as before.
Starmer, in his first major political statement since stepping down from his role at Downing Street, argued that the change in the defence relationship between the US and Europe is not a temporary anomaly but a permanent shift. ‘Things will not go back to the way they were,’ he stated, urging European nations to prepare for a new reality where the US will no longer ‘bankroll’ defence.
The former prime minister called for the creation of a common European security framework, emphasizing the need for greater cooperation and self-reliance among European countries. ‘Europe must draw closer together, and we must build a common security framework,’ he said, highlighting the importance of this move as a strategic imperative.
Starmer’s comments come as tensions in global politics continue to evolve, with the US indicating a diminishing willingness to shoulder the burden of European defence. He warned that European nations should not view the shift as a temporary adjustment but a fundamental change in the geopolitical landscape.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
