Politics
European leaders meet in Berlin to show defence unity before Ankara NATO summit
Chancellor Merz hosts five-nation dinner as Franco-German fighter project collapses and Trump pressures allies over Iran and troop levels
Person
Keir Starmer
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, UK Government
What we have reported
- Attended his final European leaders' meeting before stepping down after party discontent.
- Resigned as party leader on 22 June 2026 after 23 months in office, citing loss of parliamentary party confidence.
- Promised to set a new direction for Britain at the July EU summit, citing Erasmus rejoining and dynamic alignment on food standards while ruling out freedom of movement, single market or customs union membership.
Coverage
Politics
Keir Starmer resigns as UK prime minister after Mandelson scandal and electoral collapse
The Labour leader steps down less than two years after a 411-seat landslide, undone by a flawed ambassadorial appointment, policy reversals and a May local election drubbing that brought Andy Burnham to the brink of Number 10.
Politics
Starmer's EU reset collides with Labour's fractured coalition
The prime minister promises a new direction at July's summit, but local election losses reveal a party split between pro-EU graduates and Brexit-backing working-class voters.
World
Trump says he is considering US exit from NATO as European allies weigh the consequences
The US president called the alliance a 'paper tiger' in a Telegraph interview, while Hungary blocks a €90 billion Ukraine loan and European capitals assess whether Article 5 deterrence has already collapsed.
Politics
Green Party wins Gorton and Denton by-election as Labour slumps to third
Hannah Spencer takes 40.7% of the vote in a seat Labour held with 51% last July, while Reform UK pushes the governing party into third place for the first time.
World
Rutte says Russia losing 65,000 troops in two months as Munich conference exposes European defence gaps
NATO chief details staggering Russian casualties while Zelensky demands longer security guarantees and von der Leyen invokes EU mutual defence clause.
Business
Starmer excludes financial services from EU alignment talks
Prime minister rules out return to Brussels rulebook for City firms, ending months of speculation. Industry leaders warn reversing post-Brexit reforms would damage London's listing recovery.
World
Europe and US draft legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine
Leaders in Paris agree text committing Washington to ceasefire monitoring, intelligence and backing for a European-led multinational force, though Moscow has not signed on.
World
Europe's Greenland dilemma exposes NATO fault lines as Trump threatens military action
Six European powers issued a joint statement defending Danish sovereignty over Greenland after the White House said military options remain on the table, but the response reveals deep divisions and reliance on US security guarantees.
Politics
Starmer's EU reset bill hands ministers sweeping alignment powers
Legislation expected within months would let future governments align UK standards with Brussels across multiple sectors before trade deals are finalised, setting up clashes with Liberal Democrats and Conservative critics.
World
Ukraine's security guarantees rest on Putin's calculations, not European wishes
US security commitments are the only credible deterrent, but their durability depends on Russian acceptance and Congressional ratification, neither of which is assured.
Politics
Starmer faces leadership test as 2026 brings elections, migration reforms and China visit
May local elections will measure Reform UK's poll lead and Labour's resilience, while the King's Speech, ECHR negotiations and a high-stakes China trip define Starmer's second year.
Politics
European leaders press for stronger Ukraine guarantees as US pushes peace plan
Zelensky meets Starmer, Macron and Merz in London before Brussels NATO talks, with territory concessions and security guarantees still unresolved while Trump criticises Kyiv publicly.
Politics
Trump National Security Strategy targets European elections with explicit rightward shift
The White House document names immigration, birth rates and 'censorship' as threats to civilisation, urging support for patriotic parties across the continent before key votes in Germany, Britain and possibly France.
World
Putin rejects Western troop deployment to Ukraine as ceasefire hopes fade
Russian president warns any foreign forces would be legitimate targets while Macron says 26 allies have committed to a reassurance force, but US rules out ground troops and ceasefire remains distant.
World
Trump offers US security role for Ukraine but rules out NATO membership and American ground troops
European leaders joined Zelenskyy at the White House as Trump described a guarantee framework reliant on European troops backed by US air power, with formal details promised within ten days.
Politics
Starmer resets UK-EU ties with defence, nuclear and migration deals
In two months Labour has signed a bilateral treaty with Brussels, a nuclear coordination pact with France and a mutual defence treaty with Germany, all while ruling out single market return.
World
EU prepares 19th Russia sanctions package as Trump-Putin meeting looms
Kaja Kallas rules out concessions to Moscow before a verified ceasefire while EU leaders coordinate ahead of Friday's Alaska summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Politics
UK lowers voting age to 16 for next general election in biggest franchise reform since 1969
Legislation will enfranchise 1.5 million teenagers across the UK, aligning Westminster with Scotland and Wales, while a wider electoral package tightens foreign donation rules and extends voter ID requirements.
Politics
European leaders welcome Carney victory as boost for transatlantic ties
Mark Carney's Liberal Party wins Canadian election as former central banker campaigns on standing up to Trump; EU and NATO allies signal deeper cooperation ahead of June summit in The Hague.
World
How Trump's first month shattered European security assumptions
A series of shocks in February 2025 forced European leaders to confront the possibility that Washington is no longer a reliable partner, triggering frantic diplomacy and a scramble for strategic autonomy.
Politics
Farage's Reform UK could force electoral reform if 2029 vote-seat gap widens
A scenario where Reform UK wins the most votes but Labour retains a Commons majority would expose first-past-the-post's distortions more starkly than 2024, campaigners argue.
World
Europe confronts the cost of securing Ukraine without American backing
European leaders meeting in London pledged to build security guarantees for Ukraine after Trump ruled out US commitments, but the military and financial gap left by Washington is vast.
World
Europe drafts Ukraine peace plan as US backstop evaporates
Britain and France advance a stabilisation force proposal without American security guarantees, leaving European troops exposed if Russia violates a ceasefire.
World
Europe cannot deter Russia alone as Trump rules out US troops for Ukraine
British Army at 70,000 regulars; Russia spends 6.7% of GDP on defence. European leaders meet this weekend to decide whether to deploy up to 30,000 troops without American security guarantees.
World
Merz pushes European defence independence as Trump undermines NATO Article 5
Germany's incoming chancellor says his priority is independence from the US after Trump's statements weaken collective defence assumptions. European capitals scramble to fill a capability gap the Americans have filled for decades.
Politics
Elon Musk turns X into political weapon across Europe
The billionaire's endorsement of far-right parties in Germany and Britain tests the EU's Digital Services Act and exposes transatlantic tensions over platform power.
Politics
Starmer's chief of staff makes quiet Brussels trip as EU reset takes shape
Morgan McSweeney met EU counterparts in December while Downing Street prepares to hire a dedicated foreign affairs adviser and a senior negotiator for talks with Brussels, signalling a more structured approach to the reset.
Politics
European leaders unite against Musk election interference
Germany, France, UK and Norway condemn X owner's support for far-right AfD before February vote, as Scholz government dismisses influence on 84 million voters.
Technology
Trump, Brussels and London set divergent paths for AI regulation in 2025
The EU begins enforcing its AI Act while the UK consults on copyright exceptions and a Trump administration prepares to take office with Elon Musk advising on technology policy.
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