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Migrant crisis and defence on agenda as May meets EU leaders

Britain will continue to help tackle Europe's migrant crisis after Brexit, Theresa May has told EU leaders today.

The prime minister made the announcement after using one-to-one talks with fellow leaders in Malta to insist she wants a "new, positive and constructive" relationship with the EU while remaining a "reliable partner" after Brexit.

At the summit, Mrs May also announced a £30 million fund to protect vulnerable migrants from freezing conditions and the threat of people-trafficking and sexual violence.

Defence will also be high on the agenda at the gathering in Malta's capital Valletta, and Mrs May is expected to tell her counterparts they must boost spending following her talks with Donald Trump on his attitude towards Nato.

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Britain will help tackle Europe's migrant crisis post-Brexit

Britain will continue to help tackle Europe's migrant crisis after Brexit, the prime minister Theresa May has confirmed.

Speaking at a summit of EU leaders in Malta the PM referred to the issue of migration from Libya across the Mediterranean as one of the "biggest challenges that Europe is facing" and pledged that the UK would continue its support to tackle the issue after leaving the EU.

She said: "We've agreed what we need is a comprehensive but a coordinated approach.

"The UK has already contributed significantly to the effort but we will continue to do so and we will continue to do so even after we leave the European Union because we want to continue to be a good friend and ally to the European Union as we build a global Britain standing tall in the world."

Mrs May also said that looking ahead to upcoming Brexit negotiations what she wanted was to build a "strong partnership" with the EU as "we're not leaving Europe, we're leaving the EU".

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Migrant crisis and defence on agenda as May meets EU leaders

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