Sir Keir Starmer has warned that Europe can no longer rely on the United States to underwrite its security, calling for a common defence framework with Britain at its centre and describing the shift in transatlantic relations as permanent.
In his first major intervention since leaving Downing Street, the former prime minister said Europe must abandon any expectation that its relationship with Washington would return to the status quo, arguing that Donald Trump’s demand for greater European responsibility reflected a lasting change rather than a temporary feature of his presidency.
“Things will not go back to the way they were before,” Starmer said, warning that America would no longer “bankroll” European security.
Speaking at the British Irish Chamber of Commerce dinner at Dublin City Hall on Friday, he argued that the continent needed “a common security framework as much as a common market”, with the UK playing a central role despite its departure from the European Union.
“A stronger Europe is vital and the UK must be at the heart of it,” he said.
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Starmer accused European governments of being caught unprepared twice: first by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which exposed weaknesses in the continent’s military capabilities, and subsequently by Trump’s insistence that European allies shoulder more of the cost of their own defence.
“Europe has twice been caught asleep – failing to anticipate and prepare for predictable events,” he said. “We have to catch up.”
The remarks underline the strategic challenge facing European governments as they confront Russian aggression, uncertainty over Washington’s long-term commitment and the financial burden of rebuilding military capacity.
Starmer stressed that a reduced American role did not mean the transatlantic alliance had become less important. The military, security and intelligence relationship remained “far too strong” to be abandoned, he said. But Europe needed to take substantially greater responsibility for its own protection.
He argued that higher defence budgets alone would not be enough, calling instead for deeper co-operation and co-ordination across the continent.
“The EU is changing to respond to that, but it cannot be the EU alone when Europe’s periphery is core to its defence,” he said.
The intervention comes after Starmer grappled with an increasingly strained relationship with Trump while in office. Having initially pursued a conciliatory approach towards the US president, the former prime minister later clashed with Washington over Britain’s refusal to become directly involved in the Iran war and Trump’s threats to annex Greenland.
Starmer, who resigned as Labour leader in the summer, has signalled that he intends to remain active in international affairs. Reports have previously linked him with ambitions to become secretary-general of NATO, although no formal candidacy has been announced.
At the Dublin dinner, he received honorary life membership of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his contribution to UK-Ireland relations.
His central message, however, was directed beyond the bilateral relationship: Europe must organise itself for a security environment in which American support can no longer be taken for granted.
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