UPDATE – UK premier, European Commission chief agree to strengthen ties

UPDATES WITH JOINT STATEMENT; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

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.

Starmer met with von der Leyen 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.

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.