Keir Starmer will dine with Taoiseach Simon Harris at Chequers on Wednesday, marking a potential shift in the decade-long strained relations between Ireland and the UK ahead of an unprecedented summit involving European leaders.
The Thames Valley police have enacted airspace restrictions for aircraft and drones around Blenheim Palace as preparations continue for 45 European dignitaries, accompanied by their delegations, to visit this renowned Oxfordshire estate on Thursday.
All 27 EU heads of state will participate in the forthcoming European Political Community (EPC) summit along with representatives from non-EU member states like Iceland, Norway, Kosovo, Serbia, Georgia, Andorra, Albania, and Ukraine.
Meetings involving Nato, OSCE, and Council of Europe officials will also be held to discuss European affairs in light of Russia's current actions and criminal organizations involved in human trafficking.
Key topics for discussion include the EU's future defense strategy with considerations on potential U.S. presidential outcomes, migration policies, democratic principles, and energy security.
As the host country, the UK has an opportunity to reclaim its position on the global stage after a period of domestic political turbulence while also aiming to mend fences with other European nations post-Brexit.
Starmer is expected to address more than 45 world leaders in Blenheim Palace's historic setting at around 10am, focusing on his commitment towards a new defense and security accord – an aspect sought by the EU but overlooked previously during negotiations with Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
Furthermore, Starmer is set to attend a working group meeting on migration led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. The previous summit in Spain saw these leaders, along with others such as Rishi Sunak, Ursula von der Leyen, and Mark Rutte, propose strategies to combat the immigration crisis in Italy.
However, von der Leyen will not be attending this time due to an impending vote on her re-election for European Commission president taking place during lunchtime Thursday.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and Moldovan President Maia Sandu will co-chair another working group focused on defense and democracy with representatives from Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, EU's Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell, Prime Ministers of Iceland, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andorra, and Finland.
An additional working group on defense and democracy chaired by European Council President Charles Michel will also be convened.
Ahead of the Blenheim event, Keir Starmer plans to have a three-hour dinner meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris at Chequers aiming to repair relations between Ireland and the UK – an important factor considering Ireland's vested interest in maintaining positive ties due to Brexit's impact on trade.
Both leaders are aware of Chequers' past controversial episodes, such as Theresa May's failed 'Chequers Brexit Plan', which Boris Johnson later criticized for potentially ceding control to Brussels.
The deteriorating relations between the UK and Ireland following a hard Brexit led by Boris Johnson have created significant diplomatic strain, compounded by disagreements over the Northern Ireland protocol and the suspension of Stormont's powers.
Last December, Irish government initiated legal proceedings against the UK government concerning its decision to grant immunity for Troubles-era crimes under the Legacy Act – a topic likely to be discussed during their dinner conversation.
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