Starmer Nears UK-EU Defence Pact Amid Fishing Row

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is nearing a major defence and security agreement with the EU, granting British arms companies access to the bloc’s €150 billion defence fund. In return, the UK is set to offer multi-year fishing rights concessions to EU nations, a move that has sparked criticism from Brexiteers as a reversal of post-Brexit commitments. The deal is viewed as a pragmatic choice, prioritizing the significantly larger value of defence exports over the fishing sector. French and other EU officials had previously linked defence contracts to fishing disputes, but Starmer's willingness to compromise has been welcomed by some European diplomats. The agreement is expected to be finalized at an upcoming London summit and comes as part of efforts to deepen UK-EU defence cooperation amid ongoing tensions with Russia. European leaders have also expressed surprise at the outsized role fishing rights have played in the negotiations.