Britain's new prime minister, Keir Starmer, said that it is "very important" to ensure that Europe's industrial strategy can support Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression, as concerns over the long-term commitment of the U.S. continue to mount.
Speaking on July 18 at a press conference after the Fourth European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in the U.K., Starmer said he would "not preempt" the results of the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
"I can't underscore enough the shared commitment here today… and I'm really proud of the role that we've played in relation to Ukraine.
"I'm not going to preempt what may happen in the elections later this year, other than to say that industrial strategy is a very important component of the package that we need to put together."
Former U.S. President and Republican nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to end Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine within 24 hours if elected but has not publicly elaborated on how he plans to do so. One plan reportedly involves ceding territory to Russia.
Senator J.D. Vance, who was recently chosen as Trump's running mate, is thought to be an even more outspoken opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine, and has openly endorsed territorial concessions as part of a potential peace deal.
European countries have been taking steps to counter the possibility that the U.S. may not be a reliable partner for European security and in backing Ukraine if Trump wins the upcoming presidential election.
In March, the European Commission presented the first-ever European Defense Industrial Strategy (EDIS) at the EU level to support the competitiveness and readiness of the bloc's defense industry.
As part of the strategy, the commission proposes developing closer ties with Ukraine through its participation in the bloc’s initiatives to support the defense industry and stimulating cooperation between the EU and Ukrainian defense sectors.
Chris York
