Warm Farewell for Britain’s Starmer Signals Stronger European Ties
BERLIN — Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his departure on Monday amid plunging approval ratings, but European leaders offered warm words for a leader they found easier to work with than his recent predecessors.
Starmer, the first non‑Conservative prime minister since the Brexit vote, rejected calls for Britain to rejoin the EU but pushed to repair relations after the trauma of leaving. He also maintained Britain’s central role in supporting Ukraine alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. “European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin acknowledged Starmer’s role in resetting Irish‑British and UK‑EU relations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Starmer “for always being in touch, always engaged,” saying their conversations were “filled with real substance.” A German government spokesperson called Starmer “a reliable and close partner.”
Across the Atlantic, the farewell was less warm. President Donald Trump said Starmer “failed badly” on immigration and energy. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev claimed some credit for Starmer’s departure, saying he and others had exposed Starmer’s “warmongering” policies. A spokesperson later said Dmitriev’s comment was made in a personal capacity.
Starmer came to office in 2024 after a landslide victory, but like other European leaders, he struggled with disillusioned voters drawn to anti‑establishment parties. His perceived lack of charisma appeared to matter less abroad than at home, where he was often accused of lacking conviction.
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