British Prime Minister Keir Stormer addresses Chinese and British business delegations at a House of UK reception on January 30, 2026 in Shanghai, China. Image Credit: Reuters
British Prime Minister Keir Stormer said his ministers would consider applying to join a second potential multi-billion-euro European Union fund for defense projects as they prepare for talks with EU counterparts this week.
The European Commission is considering launching a second version of its secured loans scheme as Europe seeks to shore up its defenses amid doubts about US security commitments to Europe under President Donald Trump and growing fears about Russia.
A British plan to join the €150-billion ($177 billion) SAFE fund collapsed in November.
Asked whether Britain would try to join a new version of SAFE, Mr Stormer said Europe needed to do more to retool.
“We need to look at safe and other projects to see if there’s a way we can work more closely together,” he told reporters on his way to China last week. Comments are scheduled to be released on Sunday (February 1, 2026).
“Whether it’s SAFE or other initiatives, it makes good sense for Europe in the broadest sense of the word – it’s the EU and other European countries – to work more closely together.”
European Union Trade Commissioner Maros Cefcovic and other EU officials are due in London this week for talks.
Mr Stormer has sought to work more closely with the EU, and in contrast to the acrimonious relationship between previous Conservative governments and the EU, he negotiated Britain’s exit in 2020 to remove some post-Brexit barriers.
He played a key role in coordinating European support for Ukraine.
Under the SAFE scheme, the EU borrowed money on financial markets to lend to countries in the bloc for joint defense projects.
Asked about recent remarks by Nigel Farage, whose Reform UK party is leading the polls, that his governing Labor government is too close to the EU, Mr Stormer said Brexit campaigners were repeatedly misleading the public.
“I’m not too keen on what Nigel Farage has to say about this,” Mr Stormer said.
Published – February 02, 2026 at 04:56 am IST
