Europe defence pact under discussion as UK considers coming in from Brexit cold

Prime Minister Keir Starmer becomes first British leader to attend Brussels summit since Brexit

A British Challenger 2 tank on exercise in eastern Europe. The EU and UK, formerly a member of the bloc, are considering a defence pact in light of changes sweeping the world. PA

Britain has taken its first steps towards strengthening ties with the European Union in defence talks, as its continental neighbours grow increasingly concerned about the prospect of a trade war with the US, analysts have told The National.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer held discussions with EU leaders on Monday with a view to a post-Brexit security deal, with Europe anxious about the future of US support for Nato and Russia's military strength.

He told EU leaders at a dinner that fragmentation "would weaken us all". He added: "So let's maximise the industrial weight and clout we have together."

Downing Street sees its professional military – which is large by European standards – as a useful bargaining tool to gain greater access to EU trade. Mr Starmer’s visit was framed as a first step to stronger economic links.

For the EU, having a nuclear power with professional armed forces as an ally is crucial because “we can’t talk about security without the Brits”, a senior EU diplomat said.

A senior EU official told The National the meeting was “a clear message that defence is now at the heart of the EU’s agenda” and “a crucial step in preparing for the future”.

Monday’s meeting, attended by Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, also focused on how to “strengthen and deepen partnership” between the EU and Nato.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels. Reuters

Trump's Nato threat

But with US President Donald Trump following through on his threat to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, and with the EU perhaps next in his sights, the continent is looking to Britain’s long-standing US alliance for help.

“The EU is deeply unsettled by the initial activities of the Trump presidency, to the extent that they think the UK can be a positive influence on the US,” said retired brigadier Ben Barry, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank.

“Just as important is that if there are ructions with Washington, DC, the UK can potentially help as a bridge between the EU and Washington. That will be on their minds.”

British military power

In addition to its nuclear arsenal, Britain also brings Europe greater security with its information-gathering assets, including its access to the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Britain also brings strategic military airlift, expeditionary medical capabilities and combat engineers, along with “some respectable combat capability in all three services”, said Mr Barry.

But military analyst Paul Beaver highlighted “a real feeling of concern” in Europe that “there might not be an American presence in the future”.

However, the senior EU diplomat emphasised that the bloc would “react with a cool head and discipline” to Washington announcements. “We won’t react on every tweet out of Washington but instead focus on the things that bind us, security and trade,” he added.

EU reset

But it is more the politics of Mr Starmer being the first British leader to attend an informal EU summit since Brexit that comes at a “critical moment” in the Labour government’s Europe reset, said Ed Arnold, European security specialist at the Royal United Services Institute think tank.

However, he took issue with the “little detail” to emerge from Labour’s election promise of an “ambitious UK-EU defence and security pact” and the value this would bring.

“Despite defence being a sensible area to pursue enhanced co-operation, it will not be easy to insulate it from other policy areas and it should therefore be seen as one part of a wider set of negotiations,” he added.

Benefits of EU pact?

But with only four EU countries not part of Nato – Ireland, Austria, Cyprus and Malta – commentators have raised the question of what benefit the new pact might bring. “The EU is very welcome to add military value in Europe, but it should be complementary to Nato rather than replacing it,” Mr Barry said.

He also emphasised that any peacekeeping force that might be sent to Ukraine if a ceasefire is negotiated with Russia should have a “Nato flag on it”, with the power and authority the alliance brings.

“The EU should really do things in terms of military technology and ammunition production that adds value both to Ukraine and Nato, but it should not inhibit Nato,” he said.

Mr Beaver said there was a “good argument to be made for the EU being more cohesive” but Nato was a sufficient alliance, and Monday’s meeting appeared to be an attempt to “put something together in order to negotiate with Trump”.

He also suggested Mr Starmer was playing Britain’s defence card to “ingratiate himself with the EU” rather than with Nato, which he warned sent “mixed messages to the Americans”.

“Some of my American friends are saying, ‘what are you doing, guys?’” he added.

Other commentators suggested that Mr Starmer was being drawn into a closer relationship with the EU to bring Britain on to its side in case a trade war erupts with the US.