UK, EU mull deeper co-op, rejoining not on agenda

The UK and the EU are discussing prospects for deepening cooperation, but the issue of rejoining the EU is not currently on the agenda, UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said in Brussels during the EU-UK security and defence dialogue, Report informs.

"We are at the stage of discussing what deeper cooperation could look like and what decisions and compromises it would require," Streeting said ahead of the meeting.

According to him, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham intends to launch an open dialogue with the British public regarding the future of relations with the EU.

Streeting noted that Brexit has negatively impacted the British economy, and closer cooperation with European partners is in the interest of the country's security and economic development.

The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, in turn, stated that the EU is interested in further deepening relations with the UK, but negotiations on a potential return to the bloc would be complex.

"There are many people in the European Union traumatized by Brexit," she noted, emphasizing that the parties are not yet at that stage.

Streeting also urged the UK and the EU to avoid protectionism in the defence industry, stating that jointly strengthening military capabilities and the defence industrial base is essential for deterring Russia.

The parties are also discussing preparations for the upcoming EU-UK summit in two weeks, where specific agreements on cooperation are expected.