A Brexit Reset With Big Red Lines? Yes, Minister.

The stage has been set for a rapprochement between the UK and European Union, as the bad blood of the Brexit years morphs into a high-stakes hunt for allies in a region squeezed by Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. But talk of a “reset” looks overblown, judging by some of the political scars that have yet to fully heal. Not to mention some big red lines.

It’s clear that the direction of travel is toward better relations (as if they could get any worse). Gone are the usual Brexit scenes of a UK prime minister, goaded by tabloids, demanding concessions from European governments nervously trying to prevent “cherry-picking.” Priorities have shifted and EU leaders meeting in Downing Street want this to be about the bigger picture: shared values, the rule of law and deeper ties in security and defense — especially with Trump bashing NATO and suspending military aid to Ukraine. It’s a way to put meat on the bone of what’s already become a coalition of the willing to support Kyiv, led by nuclear powers France and Britain alongside Germany and Poland.