BRUSSELS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- European Council President Antonio Costa said on Monday that the planned second EU-UK summit would have to be postponed, after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation earlier this morning.
"We need to postpone it for sure, but we are reassessing the opportunity of this new summit," Costa said in a press conference, adding that he hoped Starmer's successor would continue the "good path" of resetting relations between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK).
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen thanked Starmer for his contribution to European and Ukrainian security in a post on social media X, saying: "It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years. European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you."
The second EU-UK summit was originally scheduled to take place in Brussels on July 22, with discussions to advance the post-Brexit "reset" of relations high on the agenda. ■