European countries must abandon their dependence on the United States for defense by strengthening cooperation with each other. This is stated in excerpts from a speech that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is to deliver at the Munich Security Conference.
„We are no longer the Britain of the Brexit era. Because we know that in dangerous times we cannot establish control by looking inward, or we will lose it. We will not allow that to happen“, says a text released by the Prime Minister's office.
„There is no British security without Europe, and no European security without Britain. "This is a historical lesson, but it is a reality today," says Starmer, who advocates a "more European NATO."
The British prime minister is convinced that Europe must replace its excessive dependence on its transatlantic partner with regional interdependence. "I am talking about a vision of European security and greater European autonomy that does not mean the withdrawal of the United States, but fully responds to the call for a fairer burden-sharing and rethinking the relationships that have served us so well," he explains.
Starmer considers Europe a "sleeping giant," claiming that its economy is "10 times bigger than Russia's."
He is convinced that making such important decisions requires building consensus in society, so that representatives of the far right and far left do not gain power by offering easy solutions.
The British prime minister intends to draw attention to the fact that these two seemingly opposing ideologies "have so much in common." "It is striking how much overlap there is between the different ends of the political spectrum. "A soft stance on Russia and weak support for NATO, if not outright opposition to it," Starmer describes the situation.