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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 4 February 2025
Britain’s Starmer seeks strong ties with both the EU and Donald

Trump. That could be tricky

By JILL LAWLESS is wary of riling populist
Associated Press politicians like Reform U.K.
LONDON (AP) — Keir Starm- leader Nigel Farage, who
er travels to Brussels on Mon- is poised to pounce on any
day, becoming the first Brit- perceived “betrayal” of
ish prime minister to attend Brexit.
a European Union leaders’ Starmer is aiming for rela-
meeting since the U.K. left tively modest changes such
the bloc five years ago. as making it easier for artists
Starmer will head to dinner to tour and for professionals
with EU leaders at Brussels’s to have their qualifications
neoclassical Egmont Pal- recognized, and seeking
ace, walking a diplomatic closer cooperation on law
and economic tightrope. enforcement and security.
He is seeking to rebuild ties EU politicians have wel-
with the EU while avoiding comed the change of tone
tariffs from protectionist U.S. from Starmer’s euroskeptic
President Donald Trump. Conservative predeces-
Trump has slapped import sors, but want concrete
taxes on the United States’ proposals, and inevitably
biggest trading partners compromises, from the U.K.
Canada, Mexico and Chi- Britain and the EU say they
na and says he will also will hold a full leaders’ sum-
impose tariffs on goods Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speak during a mit later this year.
from the 27-nation EU, with press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Associated Press Ahead of the meeting in
which the U.S. has a trade Brussels, Starmer said he
deficit. His attitude toward ner, Starmer said the U.K. strong trading relations. other barriers to trade with would stress the impor-
Britain is more ambiguous. would not have to choose That’s been the basis of my the bloc imposed by Brexit tance of “keeping up the
Trump said early Monday between Europe and the discussions with President but has ruled out the two pressure” with sanctions
that “the U.K. is out of line United States Trump and I know that in- things that would make the on Russia to squeeze its
but … I think that one can “Both of these relation- tense US-EU discussions are most difference rejoining “war machine” targeting
be worked out.” ships are very important to planned.” the bloc’s customs union or Ukraine.
Starmer has stressed his de- us,” Starmer told reporters. Trump’s trade battles com- single market. Trump’s return to office has
sire for a good relationship “If you look at our vital in- plicate Starmer’s aim of He also has resisted EU pres- raised questions over U.S.
with Trump. His spokesman terests, it’s really important a “reset” with the EU af- sure for a youth mobility support for Kyiv and for the
said Britain has a “fair and we work with both, that we ter years of bitterness over deal that would let young trans-Atlantic military alli-
balanced trading relation- don’t see it as an either-or.” Brexit. It’s already compli- people from Britain and the ance itself. Trump has said
ship” with the U.S. On the issue of tariffs, cated enough by Britain’s EU live and work in the oth- that NATO countries should
At a Brussels meeting with Starmer said, “it’s early domestic politics. er’s territory for a time. spend at least 5% of their
NATO chief Mark Rutte on days, and I think what’s re- Starmer wants to remove Starmer’s center-left La- GDPs on defense, up from
Monday before the EU din- ally important is open and some of the red tape and bour Party government the current 2% target. q

Belgium has a new prime minister, one who long tried to gut the

nation and seek regional autonomy

By RAF CASERT bold demands for Flem- until the system can be ceeds Alexander De Croo, De Wever will join his fellow
Associated Press ish independence have taken as a whole. I never who has remained in office European Union leaders at
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium made room for the hope of believed in that,” he told as a caretaker since the a summit in Brussels later
has a new prime minister gradual change and find- De Standaard newspaper. June elections last year. Monday.q
whose political purpose ing a renewed balance “The other option is to take
was long to break up the between Dutch-speaking part when you can, and
nation, gut the state struc- Flanders, with 6.7 million obtain things for your com-
tures and give ever more people, francophone Wal- munity, and that is what we
autonomy to his northern lonia, with 3.7 million, and did.”
Flanders at the cost of ev- multilingual Brussels, with “When you don’t take part,
eryone else. 1.2 million. you are certainly left emp-
Bart De Wever took the The prime minister and tyhanded,” he added.
oath early Monday, looking leading ministers took the Language issues are woven
straight at King Philippe, the oath in Dutch and French throughout the past centu-
latest monarch of a royal while several others on ry, as the French-dominat-
house he so long had little the 15-member team from ed nation gradually made
but disdain for because it both sides of the linguistic way for a balanced politi-
symbolized the old con- divide stuck to their own cal scene while Wallonia’s
cept of Belgian unity. language during a short industrial prowess waned
“I swear allegiance to the ceremony at the Royal Pal- and Flanders’ economic New Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, left, raises his hand
king,” he said. ace. power rose. to take an oath during a swearing in ceremony for the new
It was another indication “You can ... not take part De Wever of the Flemish government in front of Belgium’s King Philippe at the Royal
how times change, and in a government and wait nationalist N-VA party suc- Palace in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
Associated Press