Satisfied Starmer: ‘Britain is back on the world stage’

The first summit between the EU and the UK post-Brexit has taken place. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed satisfaction, stating that ‘Britain is back on the world stage’. Multiple deals were agreed upon, including a trade agreement that UK correspondent Lia van Bekhoven described as ‘very important for the British’.

Since Brexit, exporting British products to the EU has been challenging. Today’s deal lifts many customs checks for products with an expiration date, making it easier for certain British goods to be exported to the EU. Van Bekhoven noted that this could encourage more British businesses to explore EU markets.

A fisheries deal was also struck, but Starmer faces criticism domestically. The Daily Mail accused him of ‘selling out Britain’, while the Scottish Fishermen's Federation called the agreement ‘disastrous’. Scottish Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes labeled it a ‘huge betrayal of our fishing fleet’.

Starmer, however, defended the agreements as a ‘win-win situation’ and denied any return to the EU. Additional deals were made on defense and migration, including access to a new €150 billion European defense fund.