Press

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said the summit will allow Sir Keir to “hobnob and establish human connections” with European leaders he has never met. It will also give the PM a chance “to set out the direction and scope” of how he wants to reset UK-EU relations.
“Keir Starmer’s personality in itself will do more than people realise,” Mr Grant said.
“He is diligent, sensible, serious, he reads his briefs, he believes in the rule of law and international institutions. The Europeans will like that.”

Ian Bond mener dersom Trump kommer til makta i USA, vil hans relasjon til Orban være svært negativ for EU. Orban vil være i stand til å hindre EUs enighet i å reagere hvis Trump handler på måter som skader EUs utenrikspolitiske interesser, sier Bond.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Keir Starmer,” said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, a UK think-tank. “He’ll have a lot of European leaders in a room. The timing could not have been more fortuitous.” British officials say Starmer will use the Blenheim Palace event to set out his hopes for improved UK-EU relations, even if, as Grant notes, there is a “slight niggling worry that he doesn’t know what he wants to do”.

"A period of calm, predictable and constructive diplomacy would do wonders for the UK's reputation," wrote Charles Grant at the Centre for European Reform in an open letter to Starmer on ways to re-engage with the EU on a host of different levels.

The problems will come over issues such as supply chains and energy, which risk brushing up against the single market, says Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank.