UPDATE 2 - UK premier, European Commission chief agree to strengthen ties

UPDATES WITH NEW REMARKS BY UK PREMIER, MEETINGS WITH EU LEADERS

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday agreed to strengthen the relationship between the EU and Britain, according to a statement.

Starmer and von der Leyen agreed on the shared challenges facing the EU and the UK including the altered strategic context for the wider continent notably resulting from Russia's war on Ukraine, according to a joint statement, released following the bilateral talk in Brussels.

The two met as part of efforts to improve post-Brexit relations between the UK and the bloc.

The two reiterated their "unwavering support" for Ukraine's sovereignty, read the statement.

"The leaders agreed the UK and European Union would also continue to work closely to address wider global challenges including economic headwinds, geopolitical competition, irregular migration, climate change and energy prices," it said.

Starmer and von der Leyen condemned Tuesday's missile attack against Iran and expressed that they recognized "Israel's right to self-defense."

"De-escalation by all parties in the region was of the utmost importance," said the statement, adding that they reiterated the need to coordinate the diplomatic response to the situation in the Middle East and "called on all sides to show restraint and end the bloodshed."

"An immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza was required to create the space to allow for political solutions, the leaders underlined."

Reaffirming their mutual commitment to uphold international law and to the European Convention on Human Rights, the two agreed a "stable, positive and forward-looking relationship was in their mutual interests and provided the basis for long term cooperation."

Highlighting the importance of holding regular leader-level EU-UK summits, the statement said that the sides agreed that a first Summit should take place ideally in early 2025.

- 'No return to freedom of movement, customs union, single market'

Following the meeting with von der Leyen, Starmer held a news conference, reiterating that the UK is putting its relationship with Europe "on a more solid, stable footing."

"The detailed work to take this forward starts now. We've agreed to hold regular UK-EU summits at leader-level to review progress, starting with a summit in the first half of next year," he said.

He stated that the purpose of his meeting with von der Leyen had been "to set the tone, set the ambition" and "to set in place how we would go about these discussions and where we thought the appropriate timelines were."

However, Starmer stressed that "there will be no return to freedom of movement, no return to the customs union, no return to the single market," adding that they will find "constructive ways" to work together and deliver for the British people.

Later, the British premier also had separate meetings with European Council Charles Michel and European Parliament Roberta Metsola in Brussels.

In the 2016 Brexit referendum, the majority of people voted in favor of the withdrawal of the country from the EU.

After the Brexit agreement was signed by representatives from Britain and the EU on Jan. 24, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the bloc on Jan. 31 of that year.