The European Political Community summit convenes at Blenheim Palace in the U.K. with over 45 capitals represented, focusing on unity amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and migration issues. The gathering provides new U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer with significant international exposure.

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The UK is hosting the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace, with over 45 capitals represented. The focus is on maintaining unity amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and dealing with migration issues. This event also offers new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer significant international exposure.

This summit intentionally excludes the United States, emphasizing Europe's commitment to its own security in light of Russia's actions. European leaders underline the importance of unity in preventing division, a goal Putin has purportedly failed to achieve. The discussions also touch on the possibility of a second Trump presidency, noted for its isolationist tendencies and scepticism towards NATO, raising concerns over future European security.

Prime Minister Starmer is using this platform to advance his foreign policy objectives. He aims to reset relations with the EU and address the issue of illegal migrants crossing the Channel. His presence at this summit marks an important moment early in his tenure, symbolically held at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill.



U.K. hosts European Political Community summit

It's a rare international summit that doesn't include the United States. For the European political community, that's exactly the point. More than 45 capitals represented from across the continent, minus Washington, the traditional guarantor of Europe's security. This is Europe looking out for its own in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We have maintained unity in Europe and are acting together, which means that Putin has missed his primary target. He has failed to create division in Europe. That unity has seldom been more important as leaders consider the possibility of a second Trump presidency ever more isolationist, antagonistic towards European security, and yet in their midst are some singing off the Putin-Trump hymn sheet. They believe that they can destroy militarily the Russians, which I don't think so because I think that there is no solution of this conflict on the battlefield. The US is by far the largest contributor to NATO and to Ukraine's defence, yet Donald Trump when he was president last time threatened to leave the alliance, and his pick for vice president this time, J.D. Vance, says he doesn't much care what happens to Ukraine. That would represent a fundamental upheaval of the security landscape in Europe, and every leader here knows it. Still it's a great occasion for new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, getting maximum international exposure just two weeks into the job. He's able to advance his twin foreign policy missions of resetting relations with the EU and stopping the flow of illegal migrants in small boats across the Channel. We want to work with all of you to reset relationships, rediscover our common interest, and renew the bonds of trust and friendship that brighten the fabric of European life. And what more fitting a venue for it with the continent's security once more in question than Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill. Jonah Al-Jazeera at Blenheim Palace.

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