The EU-UK summit, held on May 19th at Lancaster House in London, marked a decisive moment in post-Brexit European politics. As the first formal summit since the UK’s departure from the European Union, the meeting brought together key EU officials, namely European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and High Representative Kaja Kallas, alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Tocci, 2025). Amidst a backdrop of global geopolitical turmoil, the summit symbolised a renewed commitment to security and defence cooperation.