The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer and the President of the European Council António Costa met in Downing Street this afternoon. In their first London meeting, the two leaders “affirmed the intention to strengthen the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, agreeing on the vital importance of closer collaboration between like-minded partners at an increasingly volatile time for the world”. This has been written in a joint statement that has just been issued. It sounds like a message of reconciliation between the EU and the United Kingdom after Brexit. Costa invited Starmer to attend a session of the informal meeting of the EU leaders in Brussels on 3 February. “The Prime Minister was pleased to accept the invitation” and “looked forward to discussing enhanced strategic co-operation with the EU, notably on defence”. The two leaders also discussed current geopolitical challenges. “They reiterated their unwavering commitment to providing continued political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed”. They also addressed the situation and latest developments in the Middle East. Turning to Syria, “they agreed on the importance of ensuring a peaceful transition towards long-term political stability following the fall of Assad’s brutal regime”. They then reaffirmed “that the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, are the foundation of relations between the UK and EU, and restated their joint commitment to the full and faithful implementation of those agreements”.