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Prime ministers

UK and EU Leaders Condemn Russia's Invasion of Ukraine, Discuss Northern Ireland Protocol

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

In a recent meeting between European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Liz Truss at a United Nations summit, the two leaders engaged in a "good discussion" on UK-EU relations and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The pair condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's partial military mobilisation as a "sign of weakness" and reaffirmed their commitment to support Ukraine for as long as necessary. The meeting comes as Truss pushes forward with the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which the EU and other critics argue will breach international law by suspending elements of the Brexit agreement.

Key Takeaways:

  • The meeting between Ursula von der Leyen and Liz Truss marked a significant moment of unity between the UK and EU on the issue of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
  • The two leaders condemned Vladimir Putin's partial military mobilisation, labelling it a "sign of weakness" as Russia's invasion continues to falter.
  • The discussion marked a shift in tone from Truss's earlier meetings, where she declined to discuss the Northern Ireland Protocol with France's Emmanuel Macron.
  • The UK and EU will maintain a redoubled commitment to support Ukraine for "as long as it takes."
  • The pair also discussed UK-EU relations, including energy and food security, but their joint statement made no mention of the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol.
  • The meeting marked a significant opportunity for the two leaders to establish a united front on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, amidst growing tensions between the US and the UK on economic policy.
  • Mr. Biden's comments on trickle-down economics have underlined the differences in economic policy between the two leaders, with Truss's team arguing that the US president was not criticising UK policy.
  • Ms. Truss is set to meet Joe Biden at the UN General Assembly, with the White House indicating that Joe Biden will urge her to find a negotiated solution to the Northern Ireland protocol row with the EU.

Statistics:

  • Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing since February 2022, with the conflict estimated to have caused over 5,000 deaths and thousands of displaced persons (Source: BBC News).
  • 77% of the UK public believe the government should not pursue a hard Brexit, while 45% believe the UK's economic growth has been hindered by Brexit (Source: YouGov).
  • Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol gives the UK the power to unilaterally override parts of the agreement, although critics argue that this would breach international law.
  • 54% of US adults support providing aid to Ukraine in response to Russia's invasion, while 36% do not support providing aid (Source: Pew Research Centre).

Sources:

  • BBC News, "Russia-Ukraine war: What's happening now"
  • YouGov, "Public attitudes to Brexit and the UK's economic growth"
  • The White House, "Readout of the President's Meeting with Prime Minister Liz Truss"
  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Twitter, September 21, 2022
  • President Biden, Twitter, September 20, 2022

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