Liz Truss: Brussels focuses on Brexit, EU leaders on Ukraine as they congratulate new UK PM

As Liz Truss turned the brand new British Prime Minister on Monday, Brussels stated it hoped for “new beginnings” however made clear its place on Brexit “has not modified one iota.”

“We’re at all times searching for new beginnings, clearly. Something that may assist transfer ahead in our relationship with the UK will likely be very welcome,” Eric Mamer, spokesperson for Fee President Ursula von der Leyen, advised reporters shortly earlier than the results of the Conservative occasion’s management contest was introduced.

“As to what we count on, this can be very clear, it has not modified one iota, we count on the total implementation of the Withdrawal Settlement, the Commerce and Cooperation Settlement that now we have signed and, after all, the Northern Irish Protocol,” he added. 

International Minister Truss, 47, was topped chief of the ruling Conservative occasion following a two-month management contest that noticed her conquer seven different candidates.

She received the ultimate spherical with 81,326 votes whereas runner-up Rishi Sunak garnered 60,399 ballots from the Conservatives’ roughly 200,000 members. 

She now succeeds Boris Johnson who was pressured to step down on July 7 after dropping the boldness of his MPs over a collection of sleaze and COVID rule-breaking scandals. 

In her victory speech, she praised her predecessor whom she stated “acquired Brexit performed” and “stood as much as (Russian president) Vladimir Putin”. 

But Brexit stays a painful thorn within the EU-UK relations with Brussels launching a number of infringement procedures in opposition to London for not totally implementing the Northern Irish Protocol which stored the British province inside the bloc’s Single Market to stop a tough border on the Irish island.

However it created a de-facto border between the area and the remainder of the UK which London instantly decried after formally backing the worldwide treaty. 

The UK should present a solution to the EU’s first spherical of infringement procedures by 15 September on the newest. 

Truss was within the Stay camp within the lead-up to the 2016 Brexit referendum however progressively aligned herself within the years since with the hard-Brexit fringe of her occasion and, in her position because the UK’s diplomat, repeatedly made allusions to Article 16 to unilaterally pull out of the Northern Irish Protocol.

‘Pure buddies and allies’

Elsewhere within the bloc, “difficult occasions” ushered in by the conflict in Ukraine — and never Brexit — had been what leaders seem to concentrate on as they congratulated Truss for her victory.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated he’s “trying ahead to our cooperation in these difficult occasions. The UK and Germany will proceed to work intently collectively – as companions and buddies.”

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda wrote on Twitter that he needs her “success and power in main the UK within the difficult occasions.”

“The UK is Lithuania’s trusted safety associate and ally. Respect our cooperation in NATO and the UK-led JEF (Joint Expeditionary Pressure).”

Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, in the meantime described the EU and UK as “pure buddies and allies, with similar core pursuits at coronary heart.”

“Democracies should stay united, in standing in opposition to autocracy and aggression,” she added. 

In Prague, which presently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated he believes “that Nice Britain will proceed to be a precious ally of the Czech Republic and European Union.”

Even in Dublin, Brexit was not talked about though closely implied with Taoiseach Micheál Martin writing: “I stay up for working with you, as PM of our nearest neighbour, on necessary points we face collectively, each bilaterally and globally.”