PM바카라 사이트s remarks at the opening plenary session of the European Political Community: 18 July 2024
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's remarks at the opening plenary session of the European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace this morning.

Friends, fellow Europeans바카라 사이트
Welcome to Britain바카라 사이트
And welcome to the splendour of Blenheim Palace.
I hope you enjoyed the weather, the drive, and the architecture of this beautiful place.
Thank you so much for being here.
It is of course the birthplace of Winston Churchill 바카라 사이트
And we stand for the values that he embodies around the world.
Liberty and democracy, yes, of course바카라 사이트
But also defiance and resolve in their defence.
And today, as a new storm gathers over our continent바카라 사이트
We choose to meet it in that same spirit바카라 사이트
And we choose to meet it together.
And that is the choice of the government that I lead. Now two weeks old.
We want to work with all of you바카라 사이트
To reset relationships바카라 사이트
Rediscover our common interest바카라 사이트
And renew the bonds of trust and friendship바카라 사이트
That brighten the fabric of European life.
And the task is urgent바카라 사이트
Because our security is on the line.
Every day Ukraine fights to protect not just the Ukrainian people바카라 사이트
But the European people.
A continent where our belief바카라 사이트
In freedom, democracy and the rule of law바카라 사이트
Was hard-won.
And that wants to live in peace.
So President Zelenskyy, in your struggle to uphold those values바카라 사이트
I, we, salute you, once again.
Have no doubt: we will stand with you for as long as it takes.
Because I was struck by something that you said in fact during the NATO summit last week.
When you said that Ukraine needs more air defence, and then you said used words: before the new school year starts.
And that really struck me바카라 사이트
Because returning to school after the summer break바카라 사이트
That should be a moment of joy and excitement for children.
New uniforms, new exercise books, seeing how much their friends have grown over the summer holidays, and reuniting with friends.
How could anyone consider that them a target?
So our first task here today바카라 사이트
Is to confirm our steadfast support for Ukraine바카라 사이트
To unite once again behind those values that we cherish바카라 사이트
And to say, we will face down aggression on this continent 바카라 사이트 together.
Because the threat from Russia reaches right across Europe.
Many of us have seen attacks on our own democracy.
People targeted on our streets.
Military planes entering our airspace.
Ships patrolling our coastlines.
And in Moldova and the Western Balkans바카라 사이트
The threat is obviously even more acute.
So this is the moment for us all to do more.
And I바카라 사이트m proud of Britain바카라 사이트s role in maintaining European security.
Through NATO, through the Joint Expeditionary Force, and more.
We stand together.
We guard Europe바카라 사이트s frontiers.
And now we must find new, more ambitious ways of working together바카라 사이트
Firing up our industries바카라 사이트
Meeting, not just the military challenge바카라 사이트.
But the challenge to our economic, cyber and energy security as well.
I take a practical view of how the UK can meet this moment.
I바카라 사이트m not driven by ideology 바카라 사이트 but by what is best for my country.
And so we will strengthen our existing relationships바카라 사이트
And we will build new ones.
This includes resetting our relationship with the EU.
Because I believe that the UK and the EU바카라 사이트
Working together as sovereign partners바카라 사이트
Are a powerful force for good across our continent.
For peace, for security, for prosperity바카라 사이트
For all our people.
We have shown this I think in the G7바카라 사이트
Where we are using Russian assets바카라 사이트
To ensure they pay for the devastation they have brought to Ukraine바카라 사이트
We바카라 사이트re placing unprecedented sanctions on Russia바카라 사이트
And reducing our collective dependence on Russian oil and gas.
And I think we should take pride in the steps our continent has taken on this.
But now we must see the job through.
We must use this moment바카라 사이트
To accelerate towards clean energy바카라 사이트
Support Ukraine to meet its energy needs ahead of winter바카라 사이트
And tackle the ships that are helping Russia to evade sanctions.
We know what we can achieve together.
But it바카라 사이트s also time that we bring this resolve to another challenge facing our continent바카라 사이트
The vile trade of people smuggling.
Let바카라 사이트s be frank - 바카라 사이트challenge바카라 사이트 - is the wrong word.
It is now, I think, a crisis.
As we speak, as we gather here바카라 사이트
A criminal empire is at work in every country represented here today.
Profiting off human misery and desperation.
Prepared to send infants, babies, pregnant mothers바카라 사이트
Innocent people바카라 사이트
To their deaths.
And last week four more souls바카라 사이트
And actually, last night another one바카라 사이트
Were lost in the waters of the English Channel.
A chilling reminder of the human cost of this vile trade.
And this summit is an opportunity to set a new path on illegal migration.
To transform the way that we work together바카라 사이트
On border security바카라 사이트
And law enforcement.
And to say, together: no more.
And in the UK our new Border Security Command will work in partnership with you.
We must combine our resources바카라 사이트
Share intelligence, share tactics바카라 사이트
Shut down the smuggling routes바카라 사이트
And smash the gangs.
Before I came into politics, I was the Director of Public Prosecutions in Britain바카라 사이트
A job I held for five years.
And I saw the work that can be done, across borders바카라 사이트
On issues like counter terrorism.
Sophisticated gangs working across our borders.
And we used those same techniques to take those gangs down to ensure the safety of citizens across Europe.
And so I for one simply do not accept and will never accept that we can바카라 사이트t do the same with the smuggling gangs바카라 사이트
That somehow, they are the only gangs that can operate across Europe with impunity.
I just never will accept that, having been involved myself in the taking down of terrorist gangs.
So we must do more, together.
We must also do more to tackle the problem, of course, at source바카라 사이트
To recognise the root causes바카라 사이트
We know what they are.
Conflict, climate change, extreme poverty.
The crisis we face is the fault of the gangs 바카라 사이트 no question.
But the decisions people take to leave their homes cannot be separated from these wider issues.
It is global inequality바카라 사이트
And that deserves our attention as well.
So let me say something very clearly.
We are resetting our approach here.
This 바카라 사이트 will not commit taxpayer money to gimmicks바카라 사이트
We are here to serve our country in the national interest바카라 사이트
In pursuit of solutions that will actually deliver results.
And more than that바카라 사이트
We will approach this issue with humanity바카라 사이트
And with profound respect for international law.
And that바카라 사이트s why my government scrapped the unworkable Rwanda scheme on day one.
And it바카라 사이트s why we will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.
Churchill himself was among the chief architects of the Convention.
It was built on the blood bond of 1945바카라 사이트
And our shared sacrifice for freedom.
I myself first read about these principles of the Convention and international law in a law library in Leeds, well 40 years ago now.
And that inspired me in everything I have done since then바카라 사이트
And I still draw strength from it and value from it everyday.
Because they speak about the dignity of every human being바카라 사이트
And that word 바카라 사이트dignity바카라 사이트 is there in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the most important words in it.
Dignity of every human being.
The very essence of what it is to be human.
And that is our legacy바카라 사이트
And so the nations of Europe must lead again today.
Together we have the opportunity to make the world safer, fairer and more prosperous.
So let바카라 사이트s use this moment바카라 사이트
To do more for Ukraine바카라 사이트
Defend our democracies바카라 사이트
Secure our energy supplies바카라 사이트
And tackle illegal immigration바카라 사이트
It is a pleasure today, on behalf of my country바카라 사이트
To extend a hand to all of you.
To say that, under my leadership바카라 사이트
Britain will be a friend and a partner바카라 사이트.
Ready to work with you.
Not part of the European Union바카라 사이트
But very much a part of Europe.
Not focused on the differences between us바카라 사이트
But on the values that we share바카라 사이트
United by our determination to defend them바카라 사이트
And certain about what we can achieve together.
And now I바카라 사이트d like to invite a true champion of European freedom바카라 사이트
바카라 사이트to address the plenary.
Our friend, President Zelenskyy.
Slava Ukraini!