Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer brushed apart rising tensions between the White Home and Europe over Ukraine on Wednesday, saying he trusted Donald Trump and needed the “special relationship” to go “from strength to strength”.
Talking to reporters forward of an important assembly on the White Home, Sir Keir insisted that the UK was working “in lockstep” with the president on the matter of Ukraine.
Requested if he may belief President Trump in gentle of what has occurred in current weeks, the prime minister replied “yes”.
“I’ve got a good relationship with him,” Sir Keir stated.
“As you understand, I’ve met him, I’ve spoken to him on the cellphone, and this relationship between our two international locations is a particular relationship with a protracted historical past, solid as we fought wars collectively, as we traded collectively.
“And as I say, I want it to go from strength to strength.”
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However even earlier than the prime minister touched down in Washington, the choreography of the journey hit just a little turbulence as President Trump appeared to pour chilly water on the prospect of a US navy backstop for Ukraine as a part of any peace deal – a key UK and European demand.
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“I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much,” Mr Trump stated at his first cupboard assembly on Wednesday.
“We’re going to have Europe do that because Europe is the next-door neighbour.”
His remarks appeared at odds with these made by the prime minister on the way in which to Washington as he reiterated how essential a US navy backstop was for Ukraine.
“We all want a peaceful outcome,” the prime minister stated.
“It’s got to be a lasting peace, and that requires us to put in place an effective security guarantee.
“Precisely what the configuration of that’s, precisely what the backstop is, is clearly the topic of intense dialogue.”
He added: “However the purpose I say the backstop is so essential is that the safety assure needs to be ample to discourage Putin from coming once more as a result of my concern is that if there’s a ceasefire with out a backstop, it is going to merely give him the chance to attend and to return once more as a result of his ambition in relation to Ukraine is fairly apparent, I believe, for all to see.”
Whereas European allies such because the UK and France are getting ready to place peacekeeping troops on the bottom to police the Ukraine-Russian borders, leaders have been clear that US help is crucial to containing President Putin and securing that help is the important thing function of the prime minister’s journey to Washington.
President Zelenskyy has additionally demanded that clear ensures of US navy backing and safety be a part of his cope with the US on important minerals, however a framework agreed this week by each side didn’t embody an specific reference to any such help.
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Forward of the journey to Washington, the prime minister pledged to extend UK defence spending – a key ask of all NATO members by President Trump – and reiterated his dedication to placing British boots on the bottom in Ukraine as he makes an attempt to decrease tensions between Europe and the US and display to President Trump that the UK is prepared to play its half.
“When it comes to defence and security, we have for decades acted as a bridge because of the special relationship we have with the US and also our allegiance to our European allies,” Sir Keir stated.
“I’ve been absolutely resolute that we’re not going to choose between one side of the Atlantic and the other. We will work with the US, we will work with our European allies, that’s what we’ve done for decades, and it’s what we’ll do whilst I’m prime minister.”
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Sir Keir additionally gave the British public a “message of reassurance” after his resolution to speed up defence spending within the face of Russian aggression, saying he had accomplished it to “ensure their safety” and elevated funding would carry alternatives.
“I want to reassure the British public that what we’re doing is to ensure their safety, their security and defence of our country.
“I wish to even be clear that this is a chance as a result of, as we enhance defence spending, then that offers a chance for our industrial technique, for jobs throughout the UK, good well-paid jobs in defence.”
