United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to finalize a UK-EU defence pact and a new fishing agreement during a meeting on Thursday in London, the Financial Times reported, citing officials briefed on the matter.
The hour-long meeting, set to take place alongside an energy summit, is expected to lay the groundwork for broader cooperation on trade, youth mobility and energy. The deal would give UK defence firms access to EU-backed loans under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program and continue EU fishing access in British waters for at least two years. Talks will also cover carbon trading, long-term energy links and easing border checks on food.
A formal announcement is reportedly planned for a summit on May 19.