UK to host EU leaders as part of 1st UK-EU Leaders’ Summit

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Britain will welcome EU leaders to the country for the first UK-EU Leaders’ Summit in May, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host the European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on May 19.

It will be an opportunity to further strengthen the "unique relationship" between the UK and the EU as Starmer seeks a post-Brexit reset, the prime minister's office said in a statement.

"The first UK-EU summit will provide an opportunity to make further progress on areas which will deliver tangible benefits for the people of the UK and the EU and further strengthen the unique relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union," added the statement.

In August last year, a month after becoming the prime minister, Starmer held a two-day Europe tour to "turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships."

In the 2016 Brexit referendum, the majority of people voted in favor of the withdrawal of the country from the EU.

After the Brexit agreement was signed by representatives from Britain and the EU on Jan. 24, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the bloc on Jan. 31 of that year.