UK, Europe strike post-Brexit deal on defense, trade issues

The United Kingdom and the European Union reached a landmark statement centered connected sportfishing rights and defence practice Monday, 5 years aft Brexit. 

British Cabinet Office curate Nick Thomas-Symonds announced the woody arsenic officials from some sides met successful London for their archetypal large acme since the U.K. formally near the 27-nation commercialized bloc successful 2020. That followed a slim-margin 2016 referendum ballot calling for the U.K.'s departure. The authorities of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and different elder EU officials, billed the acme arsenic a large milestone successful resetting relations. 

"Historic day," Thomas-Symonds wrote connected X connected Monday. "After months of negotiations, I tin denote that the Labour Government has secured a caller statement with the EU." 

Starmer’s main negotiator said the statement was bully for jobs, bills, borders and more. 

RUBIO TEASES DETAILS OF POTENTIAL TRUMP, PUTIN IN-PERSON MEETING AFTER RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS STALL

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, kisses European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arsenic she arrives with European Council President Antonio Costa to be a United Kingdom and European Union acme astatine Lancaster House, London, Monday, May 19, 2025.  (Henry Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)

"Britain backmost connected the satellite stage, with a Government successful the work of moving people," Thomas-Symonds added, without further elaborating connected the details of the deal.

Starmer has stressed that the U.K. volition not rejoin the EU's frictionless azygous marketplace and customs union, nor hold to the escaped question of radical betwixt the U.K. and the EU. The premier curate has faced increasing challenges from the Reform U.K. party, which supported Brexit and opposes mass migration policies upending the almighty land nation. 

Reform, which precocious won large successful section elections, and the absorption Conservative Party person already called the woody a "surrender" of U.K. sovereignty to EU enactment successful Brussels.

"The achromatic emblem has been waved extracurricular Downing Street. The large EU surrender by the UK is taking spot arsenic we speak," Reform UK's Richard Tice told British media, billing the woody arsenic a betrayal of the presumption of Brexit connected sportfishing successful particular.  

Talks connected strengthening ties focused mostly connected information and defense, and connected a younker mobility program that would let young Britons and Europeans to unrecorded and enactment temporarily successful each other’s territory. That remains a politically touchy contented successful the U.K., seen by immoderate Brexiteers arsenic inching backmost toward escaped movement, according to the Associated Press. The U.K. already has younker mobility arrangements with countries including Australia and Canada. 

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, arrives to be the UK-EU Summit astatine Lancaster House, successful London, Monday, May 19, 2025.  (Henry Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)

JOHNSON PUSHES 'AGGRESSIVE' TIMETABLE FOR HOUSE TO PASS TRUMP'S BUDGET BILL AFTER GOP MUTINY: 'WE CANNOT FAIL'

Another contented that has agelong been a sticking constituent successful U.K.-EU relations is sportfishing — a symbolically important contented for the U.K. and EU subordinate states specified arsenic France. Disputes implicit the contented nearly derailed a Brexit deal backmost successful 2020. The acme is besides expected to screen aligning standards connected the merchantability of cultivation products, which could destruct costly checks connected nutrient products exported crossed the English Channel. 

Thomas-Symonds told the BBC helium was assured that commercialized could beryllium improved for nutrient imports and exports. 

"We cognize we’ve had lorries waiting for 16 hours, caller nutrient successful the backmost not capable to beryllium exported, due to the fact that frankly it’s conscionable going off, reddish tape, each the certifications that are required, we perfectly privation to trim that," helium reportedly said. 

The New York Times cited an unnamed European diplomat arsenic saying the statement volition let European boats entree to U.K. sportfishing waters until June 30, 2038. 

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, stands for a photograph with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, right, up of a United Kingdom and European Union acme astatine Lancaster House, London, Monday, May 19, 2025.  (Henry Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)

The statement comes arsenic the instrumentality of President Donald Trump brings a greater consciousness of urgency for practice betwixt the U.K. and the bloc, arsenic the incoming U.S. medication takes a caller attack to European commercialized and security, arsenic good arsenic the Ukraine-Russia war. It’s unclear however Trump, who backed Brexit, volition respond to Starmer’s caller woody with the EU. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"The reset could inactive beryllium blown disconnected people by disagreements implicit however to consolidate existing areas of practice similar fisheries and/or outer factors, specified arsenic a antagonistic absorption from the U.S. to the U.K. seeking person ties with the EU," Jannike Wachowiak, a probe subordinate astatine the UK successful a Changing Europe deliberation tank, told the AP. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.