U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to make the case for Britain and its Western allies to launch a multinational defence initiative that could oversee joint weapons procurement and cut rearmament costs, the Financial Times said on Friday.
Starmer is expected to raise the idea at this weekend’s Munich Security Conference, the newspaper added, citing British government officials.
He is also set to call for closer defence cooperation with allies in a speech on Saturday, as well as in private discussions with other leaders at the three-day event, it added.
Attending A Security Forum
A Downing Street spokesperson pointed Reuters to a statement issued on Thursday saying Starmer will meet with European leaders in Munich on Friday afternoon, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Starmer will deliver a speech on Saturday outlining his vision for the future of European defence and security, the statement added.
The Munich Security Conference, one of the world’s top security forums, will be held from February 13-15 this year.
Earlier this month, Starmer said his government would consider applying to join a second possible multi-billion-euro European Union fund for defence projects.
The European Commission is considering launching a second edition of its SAFE loans scheme as Europe seeks to bolster its defences due to growing fears of Russia and doubts about U.S. security commitments to Europe under President Donald Trump.
SAFE Fund
A British plan to join the original 150 billion-euro ($177 billion) SAFE fund broke down in November after Starmer’s government refused to pay a financial contribution to join, in a setback for a post-Brexit reset of relations.
Asked if Britain would seek to join a new version of SAFE, Starmer said Europe needed to do more to rearm, according to an article in The Hindu.
“That should require us to look at schemes like SAFE and others to see whether there is a way in which we can work more closely together,” he told reporters on his way to China last week. The comments were scheduled for release on Sunday (February 1, 2026).
“Whether it’s SAFE or other initiatives, it makes good sense for Europe in the widest sense of the word – which is the EU plus other European countries – to work more closely together.”
(with inputs from Reuters)
