Early in 2025, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been invited to an informal summit of EU leaders. It's the first such invitation for the UK since the bitter days of the Brexit negotiations.
The focus of the February meeting is future security and defence co-operation. The backdrop: the volatile state of the world from Europe's perspective.
Wars rage in the Middle East and in Europe - with Russia aided in its assault on Ukraine by Iran, North Korea and China.
Adding to the uncertainty haunting this continent, Donald Trump is poised to re-enter the White House.