Economic and political motivations are accelerating a U.K. rapprochement with the European Union that could lead to an agreement on outstanding Brexit issues on Northern Ireland, though significant obstacles remain and the risk of a trade war persists. Relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union have warmed over the past few weeks following months of soaring tensions. U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss has softened some of her eurosceptic positions since her appointment in September, and so have senior members of her cabinet. This shift was evident in her decision to accept French President Emmanuel Macron's invitation to attend the first meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) on Oct. 6, an entity that includes 44 European countries and offers a new framework for post-Brexit U.K.-EU cooperation. Contributing to this improved bilateral climate, negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union over the Northern Ireland protocol (which establishes...
