European leaders praise Starmer at final E5 meeting in Berlin
European leaders have praised outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a meeting in Berlin, two days after he announced his resignation. The gathering brought together the leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Poland alongside Starmer, in what was described as the final meeting of the E5 format. The talks took place as Starmer appeared in public for one of his last major international engagements as prime minister.
Sponsored
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the joint press conference that Starmer had done a great deal to strengthen NATO and foster a united Europe. He said he regretted Starmer's departure and thanked him for what he called excellent cooperation over the past few months. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Starmer had helped repair relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union after the Brexit process, adding that Europe, Poland and the UK had all felt safer because of his engagement.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Starmer had done a lot over the past two years to strengthen the UK's role in Europe and within NATO, and praised his dignity, decency and courage. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also pointed to excellent cooperation between the two countries and between London and Europe. Starmer responded by thanking the leaders for their kind words and said it had been his privilege to work with them on important issues.
The meeting matters because it comes at a sensitive moment for UK-European relations and for the wider security architecture in Europe. The comments from the leaders focused heavily on NATO, the post-Brexit relationship between London and Brussels, and the need for continued cooperation among major European powers. Starmer's departure adds uncertainty to a period in which European governments have been trying to maintain unity on security and diplomatic questions.
Sponsored
Starmer became prime minister after Labour won a landslide victory in July 2024, but he later lost the support of his party and announced he would step down once a replacement is chosen. The Berlin meeting therefore served both as a diplomatic engagement and as a public farewell from several of Europe's leading figures. It also underlined the role he played in rebuilding ties with allies in Europe and beyond during his time in office.
What remains unclear is how quickly a successor will be chosen and whether the next UK leader will continue the same approach to European cooperation. The immediate focus now is on the transition in London and on whether the diplomatic tone set in Berlin will carry over into future meetings. For now, the final E5 gathering has highlighted both the end of Starmer's premiership and the importance European leaders attach to continued coordination.
Sponsored
