BBC Online :
Theresa May is holding talks with EU Nato members as she attempts to build alliances ahead of Brexit.
The prime minister arrived in the Maltese capital Valletta with a message that Europe must increase its defence spending, following her talks about the future of Nato with Donald Trump.
The UK is one of the few alliance members to meet pledges to spend a minimum of 2% of GDP on defence.
Mrs May will also pledge UK help with the EU migrant crisis post Brexit.
She will argue that she wants a “new, positive and constructive” relationship with the EU after Brexit – and will use one-to-one talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy to promise the UK will remain a “reliable partner”.
She is also expected to stress that a strong EU is in the interests of the UK.
Mrs May’s visit comes two days after MPs voted to allow her to get Brexit negotiations under way.
She is expected to have an informal “brush by” with Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, who told the BBC’s World Service that while he wants a “fair deal” for the UK after Brexit, it must be “inferior” to full EU membership.
“No one wants the UK economy to suffer, I think this is a lose-lose situation,” said Mr Muscat, whose country holds the rotating European Council presidency.
While he says he expects a transitional deal for Britain will be agreed quite easily, he stressed: “Now, in my book if you’re not part of the single market, that is an inferior deal. But maybe for the British government if you’re not part of the single market but get to control your borders that’s a superior deal.”
Britain’s strategic ambition to act as a bridge between Europe and the United States long predates Brexit, but it has now become a central component of the government’s hopes of keeping and building influence in the world.
Theresa May will tell EU leaders of her particular achievement – as Downing Street sees it – in drawing a promise of a 100% commitment to Nato from Donald Trump, following earlier indications that his commitment to the Western alliance was wavering.
But pressing for higher defence spending looks like a tough ask.
And her hopes of becoming a bridge – or honest broker – between the EU and the US won’t be easily fulfilled either.
Mr Trump is no supporter of the EU – he favours nation-to-nation relationships.
He’s also mentioned the German leader Angela Merkel in the same breath as Vladimir Putin in discussing future relations, and the French President Francois Hollande has urged EU leaders to stand up to him.
Like much of the prime minister’s post-Brexit mission, this strategic ambition is more easily conceived than carried out.
Mrs May was the first foreign leader to visit the Trump White House and she will use the European Council summit to tell Nato members they need to increase their spending on defence.
Theresa May is holding talks with EU Nato members as she attempts to build alliances ahead of Brexit.
The prime minister arrived in the Maltese capital Valletta with a message that Europe must increase its defence spending, following her talks about the future of Nato with Donald Trump.
The UK is one of the few alliance members to meet pledges to spend a minimum of 2% of GDP on defence.
Mrs May will also pledge UK help with the EU migrant crisis post Brexit.
She will argue that she wants a “new, positive and constructive” relationship with the EU after Brexit – and will use one-to-one talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy to promise the UK will remain a “reliable partner”.
She is also expected to stress that a strong EU is in the interests of the UK.
Mrs May’s visit comes two days after MPs voted to allow her to get Brexit negotiations under way.
She is expected to have an informal “brush by” with Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, who told the BBC’s World Service that while he wants a “fair deal” for the UK after Brexit, it must be “inferior” to full EU membership.
“No one wants the UK economy to suffer, I think this is a lose-lose situation,” said Mr Muscat, whose country holds the rotating European Council presidency.
While he says he expects a transitional deal for Britain will be agreed quite easily, he stressed: “Now, in my book if you’re not part of the single market, that is an inferior deal. But maybe for the British government if you’re not part of the single market but get to control your borders that’s a superior deal.”
Britain’s strategic ambition to act as a bridge between Europe and the United States long predates Brexit, but it has now become a central component of the government’s hopes of keeping and building influence in the world.
Theresa May will tell EU leaders of her particular achievement – as Downing Street sees it – in drawing a promise of a 100% commitment to Nato from Donald Trump, following earlier indications that his commitment to the Western alliance was wavering.
But pressing for higher defence spending looks like a tough ask.
And her hopes of becoming a bridge – or honest broker – between the EU and the US won’t be easily fulfilled either.
Mr Trump is no supporter of the EU – he favours nation-to-nation relationships.
He’s also mentioned the German leader Angela Merkel in the same breath as Vladimir Putin in discussing future relations, and the French President Francois Hollande has urged EU leaders to stand up to him.
Like much of the prime minister’s post-Brexit mission, this strategic ambition is more easily conceived than carried out.
Mrs May was the first foreign leader to visit the Trump White House and she will use the European Council summit to tell Nato members they need to increase their spending on defence.
