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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Theresa May presses EU leaders on defence spending | Theresa May presses EU leaders on defence spending |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Theresa May is holding talks with EU Nato members as she attempts to build alliances ahead of Brexit. | 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 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. | The UK is one of the few alliance members to meet pledges to spend a minimum of 2% of GDP on defence. |
| Mrs May is also pledging a further £30m to help with the EU migrant crisis. | |
| The UK will provide medical care, temporary shelter and legal support to 60,000 refugees in Greece, Egypt and across the Balkans, while helping to reunite up to 22,000 people with their families. | |
| As well as assisting those who want to return home, the UK is offering to work with countries in Asia and Latin America that are willing to welcome refugees but do not have adequate infrastructure in place at present. | |
| The prime minister used talks with Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy and Austria's Christian Kern to promise the UK will remain a "reliable partner" after Brexit. | |
| Downing Street said Mrs May also updated them on the UK's preparations for leaving the EU and her desire for "a strong partnership with the EU in the future". | |
| Future relations | Future relations |
| Mr Rajoy said Mrs May's speech setting out the UK's Brexit plans, including quitting the single market, had "clarified many things" and given a greater degree of certainty. | |
| "They agreed that it was important to think about the future relationship as well as the detailed exit arrangement, so that we can give greater certainty for people and businesses who want to live and work in each other's countries," a Downing Street source said. | "They agreed that it was important to think about the future relationship as well as the detailed exit arrangement, so that we can give greater certainty for people and businesses who want to live and work in each other's countries," a Downing Street source said. |
| They also agreed an early deal on the rights of EU citizens in the UK and Britons in the rest of Europe was desirable. | They also agreed an early deal on the rights of EU citizens in the UK and Britons in the rest of Europe was desirable. |
| Mrs May's visit comes two days after MPs voted to allow her to get Brexit negotiations under way. | Mrs May's visit comes two days after MPs voted to allow her to get Brexit negotiations under way. |
| 'Inferior deal' | 'Inferior deal' |
| She was 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. | She was 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. | "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." | 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." |
| Mrs May was the first foreign leader to visit the Trump White House and she is using the European Council summit to tell Nato members they need to increase their spending on defence. | Mrs May was the first foreign leader to visit the Trump White House and she is using the European Council summit to tell Nato members they need to increase their spending on defence. |
| Mr Trump had previously called the transatlantic alliance "obsolete", but as part of efforts to build a bridge between Washington and Europe, Mrs May is saying his commitment to her about being "100% behind Nato" underlines the importance of defence and security cooperation. | Mr Trump had previously called the transatlantic alliance "obsolete", but as part of efforts to build a bridge between Washington and Europe, Mrs May is saying his commitment to her about being "100% behind Nato" underlines the importance of defence and security cooperation. |
| Nato estimates for 2016 show that only five alliance members - the US, UK, Greece, Poland and Estonia - will spend a minimum of 2% of national output (GDP) on defence, which is the target. | Nato estimates for 2016 show that only five alliance members - the US, UK, Greece, Poland and Estonia - will spend a minimum of 2% of national output (GDP) on defence, which is the target. |
| The BBC's deputy political editor John Pienaar says it was a tough ask for many European countries as it would mean doubling their defence expenditure. | The BBC's deputy political editor John Pienaar says it was a tough ask for many European countries as it would mean doubling their defence expenditure. |
| While close trade and strategic ties with the Trump administration are central to Downing Street's plans for Britain after Brexit, relations between the White House and European leaders are already strained, after the US ban on refugees and visa holders from a number of mainly Muslim countries. | While close trade and strategic ties with the Trump administration are central to Downing Street's plans for Britain after Brexit, relations between the White House and European leaders are already strained, after the US ban on refugees and visa holders from a number of mainly Muslim countries. |
| 'Room for explanation' | 'Room for explanation' |
| EU leaders have also expressed concern about the man tipped to be Donald Trump's EU ambassador, Ted Malloch, who has suggested the union needed to be "tamed". | |
| European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said while he did not feel threatened by Mr Trump "there is room for explanations because of the impression the new administration does not know the EU in detail but in Europe details matter". | |
| Mr Kern said: "Today we have pretty mixed feelings, to be honest, because the tangible aspects of Mr Trump's policies are raising some concerns. | Mr Kern said: "Today we have pretty mixed feelings, to be honest, because the tangible aspects of Mr Trump's policies are raising some concerns. |
| "It's not a threat, it could be a catalyst for a strong, more united Europe. It is an alarm call to see if we are on the right track." | "It's not a threat, it could be a catalyst for a strong, more united Europe. It is an alarm call to see if we are on the right track." |
| France's President Francois Hollande stressed the need for a united European position on Mr Trump but German chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe had "its destiny in its own hands" and should focus on its own future. | |
| Meanwhile, Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite appeared to cast doubt on the UK's ambition of being a bridge between the US and Europe. | Meanwhile, Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite appeared to cast doubt on the UK's ambition of being a bridge between the US and Europe. |
| "There is no necessity of bridges," she told reporters. "Because today we mainly communicate with the US on Twitter." | "There is no necessity of bridges," she told reporters. "Because today we mainly communicate with the US on Twitter." |
| Mrs May is expected to depart from Valletta after morning discussions, leaving the remaining EU leaders to discuss plans for a summit in Rome in March and the future of the EU. | Mrs May is expected to depart from Valletta after morning discussions, leaving the remaining EU leaders to discuss plans for a summit in Rome in March and the future of the EU. |