Rapprochement is sought on topics such as defence, migration and the so-called economic statistics, which include trade, energy and international standards.
The British representatives therefore hope to present a solution to the EU-UK dispute over post-Brexit trade deals for Northern Ireland in the coming days. Sunak will be able to use a possible breakthrough on this issue as a basis for further improving ties with the EU.
balance
But while Sunak wants that rapprochement, he can expect fierce opposition within his own party. He will first have to strike the balance between keeping the Brexiteers in his party and convincing Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party to lift its veto on the devolved government.
The biggest challenge, however, comes only after he succeeds, when he has to sit down with European leaders who have been trying to do business in the UK for seven years. They see a country that has worn down five prime ministers in record time, who more often than not have used the EU as a scapegoat for internal problems.
‘Brexit did not fail’
The UK’s renewed rapprochement with the European Union does not mean that “Brexit has failed,” according to a British government representative. “After all, it is a reflection of a changing reality.”