UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made his first bilateral visit to Germany since taking office, meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. The visit comes in the aftermath of recent unrest in the UK, following a knife attack that led to anti-immigration riots in Southport.
Rebuilding UK’s ties to EU and Germany
Although the UK formally left the European Union in 2020, Starmer aims to rebuild trust with European allies while ruling out rejoining the single market or customs union. The visit is crucial for strengthening ties with Germany and includes discussions on a security and defense treaty along with enhancing economic growth and tackling illegal migration across Europe.
Support for Ukraine
Starmer and Scholz plan to address military support for Ukraine during the meeting. Western allies have encouraged aid for Ukraine but are cautious about the country’s recent actions near Russian borders. Germany, a significant aid contributor to Ukraine, may reduce its aid next year.
jcg/sms (dpa, AFP)
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