The Prime Minister met European Council President Antonio Costa on August 23, 2026, while travelling to Kyiv to mark Ukraine's Independence Day. Both leaders agreed it was a vital moment to demonstrate unity and solidarity with Ukraine.
During their meeting, the leaders emphasised the importance of being ambitious to significantly improve the UK’s relationship with the European Union. The Prime Minister stated that the UK needed to be bolder in getting closer to the bloc.
This ambition includes enhancing cooperation across all areas of the relationship, building on the close defence and security ties already established between the UK and European Allies. A UK-EU summit scheduled for later this year is expected to provide a platform to continue this work.