Starmer emphasizes strengthening “hard power” and being “willing to fight” because “that is the currency of these times”

In his speech, focused mainly on the European defense sovereignty and the war in UkraineStarmer has highlighted that Russia has demonstrated its “desire for aggression” and has considered that this more European NATO must be supported by deeper ties between the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU).

Starmer stressed that, in the face of the threat from Russia, the future prosperity and security of the United Kingdom depends on closer defense and security ties with Europe, and stressed that his country is no longer the same as it was during the Brexit years.

He added that leaders should not hesitate in the face of Russian aggression and that, after an eventual peace agreement for Ukraine, “Russia’s rearmament will only accelerate”, so “we must respond to this threat with all our strength.”

“To break with the convention of a thousand speeches, we are not at a crossroads. The path ahead is straight and clear. We must strengthen our hard power, because that is the currency of our time. We must be able to deter aggression and, yes, if necessary, we must be ready to fight,” he said after the opening remarks of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

“We must be able to deter aggression and, if necessary, we must be ready to fight, to do whatever is necessary to protect our people, our values ​​and our way of life and, as Europe, we must stand up for ourselves.”

The British Prime Minister added that the United Kingdom must explore areas in which it can get closer to the European Union’s single market.

“We want to collaborate to lead a generational change in defense industrial cooperation,” he declared. “This includes reconsidering greater economic alignment,” Starmer added, six years after Britain left the European trading bloc.

“Deeper economic integration is in everyone’s interest, so we need to look at where we can get closer to the single market as well, and where that would be beneficial for both sides.”

Starmer has stressed the idea that Europe must move towards a more European NATO and must be “ready to fight” in the face of the Russian threat.

Likewise, Starmer insisted that the United Kingdom will comply with Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which establishes that an attack against one member of the Atlantic Alliance is an attack against all.

“Article 5 is as profound now as ever, and have no doubt that, if called upon, the United Kingdom would come to your aid today,” he said.

Thus, Starmer announced in Munich that the United Kingdom will deploy its aircraft carrier strike group to the North Atlantic this year, which will operate alongside the United States, Canada and other NATO allies, which represents “a strong demonstration of our commitment to Euro-Atlantic security.”

The deployment follows US President Donald Trump’s claim earlier this year that he wanted to seize the island of Greenland.

Starmer also considered that the United States is still an indispensable ally that has made an unrivaled contribution to European security in the last 80 years, but added that Europe must rise to the current circumstances, invest more, deliver more results and coordinate better.

He acknowledged that things in Europe are changing and that the new normal is for Europe to take responsibility for its own defense.