Rapprochement after Brexit: 'Reset' with many red lines

The EU and the UK want to strengthen their bilateral relations again. To this end, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa on May 19. It is the start of "annual summits" to realign relations between London and the EU, announced Starmer's office in London.

Starmer had already traveled to Brussels for the special EU summit on Monday. It was the first time a British head of government had attended an EU summit since Brexit five years ago. The meeting in May will provide the opportunity to "make further progress in areas that will bring tangible benefits to the people of the UK and the EU ", it was said in London.

Top topic: Armaments

From an EU perspective, this is good news. Brussels has long been seeking a "reset", i.e. a fresh start with London. The EU wants "the closest relationship we can have together", Costa declared after Starmer's visit to Brussels late on Monday evening. Von der Leyen also spoke out in favor of closer cooperation.

Initially, the main topics are likely to be armaments and defense. Both sides had already discussed this at the special summit on Monday. At the dinner with the 27 heads of state and government in the Palais d'Egmont in Brussels, Starmer called for his country to be more closely involved in European armaments cooperation.

This is not without a certain irony. After all, the UK did everything it could to block a European defense union while it was still a member of the EU. There should be no duplication with NATO, London was told at the time. Now Starmer would like to be there when a common arms market is created.

Rejection of students

He also wants to make a name for himself – like former Prime Minister and Brexiteer Boris Johnson – as Ukraine's closest ally and Russia's toughest opponent. He is in favor of tougher sanctions against Russia and is seeking to close ranks with the Eastern Europeans. On other issues, however, he is very cautious.

Starmer blocked a European push for more freedom of movement. A " mobility agreement ", which Brussels had proposed for British students and young professionals to make it easier to travel and work in the EU, was "definitely not the right starting point for us", explained Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Economic interests dominate

London has other priorities. Alongside armaments and defense, the dismantling of trade barriers is at the top of Starmer's wish list. For example, the British government is interested in a deal to standardize veterinary controls, which could facilitate trade in food, which has become more difficult since Brexit.

London would also like to expand cooperation on asylum and migration. By leaving the EU, the UK has lost access to the Schengen Information System as well as the Eurodac database. It stores fingerprints and helps to identify (irregular) asylum seekers. London would like to regain access here.

EU demands counter-concessions

The EU is not averse to this, but it sees these and other British wishes as part of an overall package. London cannot cherry-pick, but must be prepared to expand cooperation in other areas too, according to Brussels. One example is the fisheries agreement, which expires in 2026.

The different expectations and approaches make rapid progress unlikely, especially as there is no common perspective. Starmer rejects a departure from Brexit and a new EU membership. He has ruled out a return to the customs union as well as re-entry into the European single market.

And then there's Trump

In contrast, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk dreams of a "Breturn " – the return of the British to the EU. Germany would also prefer to strengthen relations with the UK sooner rather than later, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz made clear during a visit to London last weekend.

But first, there is the threat of a new test. It is not coming from Berlin or Brussels, but from Washington: US President Donald Trump could try to divide Germany, the EU, and the UK. The means of his choice are punitive tariffs. According to Trump, they are as good as certain in the EU, but not yet in the UK.

When in doubt, side with USA

If the unpredictable Republican punishes the Europeans but spares the British, this is likely to make the planned "reset" much more difficult. " We don't want to choose between the US and the EU," explained Starmer when asked what the consequences of a potential transatlantic trade war would be.

When in doubt, however, the UK has often sided with the USA. Starmer is also under pressure from the opposition. Right-wing populist Nigel Farage accuses him of being a "rejoiner at heart" – in other words, a European at heart. According to Farage, London should aim for a free trade agreement with the USA rather than negotiating with the EU. Because the Union is becoming "weaker every year".