Ursula von der Leyen, Friedrich Merz, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy Say British PM Helped Strengthen Security
European leaders have paid tribute to Keir Starmer after he announced his resignation as British Prime Minister. His departure has triggered the postponement of an upcoming EU–UK summit.
The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, said that the summit would almost certainly need to be postponed. However, he added that discussions were ongoing regarding the possibility of holding a new summit at a later date.
Costa further stated that it was their hope that Starmer’s successor would continue the process of resetting relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Shortly after Starmer’s resignation speech, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on social media: “It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman that Keir Starmer became in just two years. European and Ukrainian security are stronger today because of Starmer. Thank you, dear Keir.”
The annual EU–UK summit had been scheduled for Wednesday, 22 July 2026, and was announced only last week following weeks of uncertainty and delays.
Meanwhile, Andy Burnham is considered highly likely to become the next British Prime Minister without facing a leadership contest. Starmer’s final appearance on the world stage may be at the NATO Summit in Ankara on Tuesday, 7 July, and Wednesday, 8 July 2026.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Starmer for his cooperation, support, and the joint decisions that helped strengthen European security and protect lives. Although Kyiv had expressed frustration with certain aspects of UK support during the early part of Starmer’s premiership, Zelenskyy offered warm praise, saying: “Keir, you will always be a welcome guest in Ukraine.”
The Kremlin’s chief spokesperson took a contrasting view, stating that Starmer had done little to distinguish himself regarding British–Russian relations. The spokesperson also suggested that it was unlikely any major figure in British politics would adopt a significantly different position.
Meanwhile, Andy Burnham was sworn in as a Member of Parliament following Keir Starmer’s announcement that he was stepping down as British Prime Minister.
