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Sir Keir Starmer is searching for to type “a bridge” between Washington and Europe towards a backdrop of deepening transatlantic tensions over Ukraine, commerce, defence and free speech.
The UK’s prime minister is predicted to attend a summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to debate a European method to ending the conflict in Ukraine, amid indicators US President Donald Trump is sidelining the continent.
Starmer is then anticipated to journey to Washington within the final week of February in an try to steer Trump to totally contain European nations in Ukraine talks and to attempt to head off US tariffs.
The prime minister stated this was “a as soon as in a technology second for our nationwide safety once we interact with the truth of the world right now and the menace we face from Russia”.
He added: “The UK will work to make sure we preserve the US and Europe collectively. We can not enable any divisions within the alliance to distract from the enemies we face.”
Downing Avenue stated it anticipated there to be one other assembly of European leaders, together with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after Starmer returns from his talks with Trump.
Britain — like different European nations — is underneath fierce strain from Trump to extend defence spending towards a backdrop of sluggish development and strained public companies.
Starmer has dedicated to setting out “a pathway” to boost UK defence spending from 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent however has thus far not stated when that concentrate on can be met. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is making an attempt to maintain spending at 2.3 per cent, as her fiscal plans come underneath extreme pressure.
The concept of a British “bridge” between Washington and Europe fell aside after Brexit, with US presidents usually preferring to speak to Berlin or Paris together with EU leaders in Brussels.
However Starmer’s allies imagine that Trump holds a optimistic view of Britain, which may very well be leveraged into political affect, even when vice-president JD Vance final week criticised the UK’s method to free speech.
“I imagine we within the UK is usually a bridge between the US and Europe as we alter to this new period,” Jonathan Reynolds, enterprise and commerce secretary, stated on Sunday. “It’s definitely a brand new period.”
Reynolds informed the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that Britain’s comparatively excessive ranges of defence spending, a balanced commerce relationship and lightweight contact regulation of synthetic intelligence may work to the UK’s benefit.
“There’s positively a view in the direction of Europe and a unique view in the direction of us within the UK,” Reynolds stated. “We’ve obtained an opportunity to play a constructive function.” On commerce, he stated the US noticed Britain “in a unique mild”.
Lord Peter Mandelson, UK ambassador to Washington, stated Britain ought to make a advantage of being “not Europe”. It stays to be seen whether or not that is wishful considering on the a part of Starmer, given Trump’s acknowledged plan to levy tariffs throughout the board and Vance’s criticism of Britain final week.
Vance informed the Munich Safety Convention final week that “primary liberties of spiritual Britons, specifically” had been underneath menace, criticising the prosecution of an anti-abortion protester.
Even when Starmer does persuade Trump to offer Britain particular therapy — for instance on tariffs — that might complicate Starmer’s parallel try to “reset” relations with the EU, together with eradicating commerce limitations.
Trump stated on Friday that Starmer had requested a gathering in Washington and stated that the 2 leaders had “lots good issues happening”. He stated the assembly would happen “very quickly”, including: “I feel he desires to come back subsequent week or the week after.”
David Lammy, international secretary, has additionally urged the US not disengage from Kyiv, saying Washington ought to tie American enterprise pursuits — together with the defence and industrial sectors — into the longer term defence of Ukraine.
“That’s what will make Putin sit up and listen, and that’s what’s engaging to a US president who is aware of how one can get a very good deal,” Lammy stated final week.
