Keir Starmer is hosting a crunch meeting this week - but Ursula von der Leyen won't be there (Image: Getty)
A summit that Sir Keir Starmer reportedly hopes will reset the UK’s relationship with Europe has suffered a major blow.
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European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen will not be attending the European Political Community meeting on Thursday. She will be in France where she will be attempting to persuade EU lawmakers to ratify her appointment for a second five-year term at the head of the EU executive.
Eric Mamer, the Commission’s chief spokesperson, told POLITICO: "The president is in Strasbourg for the plenary of the European Parliament and will therefore not take part in the EPC this week."
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Commenting on a trip to a summit that is hosted by the UK - which left the EU in 2020 - one senior EU government aide also told the outlet: "It’s the thing too much. Leaders also need to be home sometimes. So we’ll just go in and out, especially as the expectations are quite low."
Many EU leaders are said to be worn out after attending the NATO summit in Washington last week.
READ MORE: Top Labour minister sets off for EU negotiations amid Brexit rollback plans
The Blenheim Palace will be the location of the European Political Community summit (Image: Getty)
Last weekend, Sir Keir said Thursday’s summit would be the moment he relaunches Britain’s relationship with Europe.
A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office said more than 45 leaders will be attending “to discuss some of the most pressing generational issues facing Europe — from the war in Ukraine to illegal immigration and security cooperation.”
A Downing Street spokesman said the UK Government will use the summit “to discuss closer collaboration to tackle illegal immigration and greater security cooperation with European counterparts to keep Britain safe”.
On the agenda will likely be the war against Russia in the Ukraine and efforts to smash people-smuggling gangs that have sent illegal migration levels soaring.
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Speaking ahead of the major summit, Sir Keir said: “Russia’s barbaric war continues to reverberate across our continent, while vile smuggling gangs traffic innocent people on perilous journeys that too often end in tragedy”.
“We cannot be spectators in this chapter of history. We must do more and go further, not just for the courageous Ukrainians on the frontlines, or those being trafficked from country to country, but so our future generations look back with pride at what our continent achieved together.
“I said I would change the way the UK engages with our European partners, working collaboratively to drive forward progress on these generational challenges, and that work starts at the European Political Community meeting on Thursday.”
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