David Lammy is eyeing up a new security pact with the EU, warning that Russia could continue to be a threat for a "generation".
Speaking at the Munich security conference, the shadow Foreign Secretary said: "It’s absolutely fundamental that the United Kingdom and Europe have the closest of relationships and the Brexit era is over, the situation is settled."
He said Britain and France combined make up around half of Europe's military capabitilies, adding that the sharing of intelligence through the Five Eyes alliance means an EU security deal is important.
Lammy said: "It’s a pact that is effectively built on the fact that we obviously have war here in Europe.
David Lammy is eyeing up a new security pact with the EU, warning that Russia could continue to be a threat for a "generation"
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"Russia will continue to be a threat to Europe for months, years, perhaps a generation more. We now need a U.K.-EU security pact."
The Munich Security conference came just days after it emerged that Putin critic Alexei Navalny had died in prison.
Allies of the Russian opposition politician believe he was murdered on the orders of President Putin. Russian Prison authorities claim he suffered "sudden death syndrome".
The Labour Party has also proposed an EU-wide returns agreement for asylum seekers who arrive in Britain if they win the next election.
This could involve the UK agreeing to a quota of migrants it will be forced to accept from the EU each year, in order to return migrants who cross the Channel.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman dismissed the plan, warning that it would "let Brussels decide who comes to the UK".
Starmer's plan to stop the boats also involves the expansion of laws used to target serious criminals, terrorists and drug traffickers.
In what is his first significant intervention in the small boats crisis, the Labour leader said: "The features are the same.
The Labour leader said: "Very few terrorist operations are within one nation, one border. They are nearly all cross-border.
"They are highly organised and involve the movement of people and apparatus across borders. There’s usually a lot of finance involved."
Starmer has also said he wants to renegotiate the Brexit deal, dismissing the 2020 deal struck by Boris Johnson as "not a good deal".
The deal is up for review in 2025. Starmer said he owes it to his children to strike a new partnership with Brussels and rebuild the relationship.
Starmer said the 2025 renewal date is an "important" moment to reset relations with the bloc.
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The Leader of the Opposition, who is nearly 20 points ahead of the Conservative Party in the polls, told the Financial Times: "I do think we can have a closer trading relationship as well. That’s subject to further discussion."
Speaking about the current deal, he added: "I think there’s more that can be achieved across the board."
Starmer continued: "Almost everyone recognises the deal Johnson struck is not a good deal — it’s far too thin.
Starmer has also said he wants to renegotiate the Brexit deal, dismissing the 2020 deal struck by Boris Johnson as "not a good deal"
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"As we go into 2025 we will attempt to get a much better deal for the UK."
It is not yet known whether the EU will be open to a renegotiation of the deal.
The Labour Leader made the comments on the fringes of a conference of centre-left leaders in Montreal.