WASHINGTON Sir Keir Starmer is set to dangle the prospect of a state visit hosted by the King in front of Donald Trump as he seeks to convince the US President to stay on side with the West.
The Prime Minister was due to land in Washington DC on Wednesday night for a 24-hour diplomatic blitz where he will meet Trump face-to-face for the first time since the American election in November.
Talking to reporters on his transatlantic plane journey, Starmer insisted that Britain and the US were not divided on the question of who is responsible for the Ukraine war and said that Trump was “clearly committed to the special relationship”.
He also warned that a peace deal without US security guarantees would only encourage Vladimir Putin to attack Ukraine again – setting up a potential clash with the President, who last night appeared to rule out military backing for Kyiv in future.
“The reason I say the backstop is so important is that the security guarantee has to be sufficient to deter Putin from coming again,” Starmer said ahead of his meeting with Trump.
“My concern is if there is a ceasefire without a backstop, it will simply give him the opportunity to wait and to come again because his ambition in relation to Ukraine is pretty obvious, I think, for all to see.”
The Prime Minister will use his meeting in the White House on Thursday afternoon to try and persuade Trump to renew his backing for Nato, while also looking to build on existing economic ties between Britain and America and dodge the threat of targeted tariffs.
A No 10 spokesman insisted the President has shown “steadfast support” for US-UK relations, adding: “President Trump has a great and deep respect for the royal family, and he has met King Charles on a number of occasions and the Prime Minister would absolutely welcome a President Trump visit to UK in the future.”
Trump – whose mother was born in Scotland – has repeatedly spoken of his affection for British royals, and is known to have enjoyed his state visit to Britain in 2019.
Starmer said on Tuesday that a repeat state visit was “a matter for His Majesty the King” but added: “He’s very fond of the Royal Family, as you know.” Buckingham Palace declined to comment when asked.
Often when a prime minister goes on an international tour, he or she knows that the supposed purpose of the trip will be overshadowed by events at home.
I remember Rishi Sunak’s irritation when, during a G7 summit in – of all places – Hiroshima, the first question at his press conference was about Suella Braverman trying to dodge a speeding fine.
That will not happen this time. Sir Keir Starmer’s trip to Washington, ahead of a White House meeting with Donald Trump is vitally important.
At stake are just a few things: the fate of Ukraine, the future of the Western alliance, billions of pounds in trade – and, oh yes, the proposed handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Starmer sees himself as a “bridge” between the Trump administration and European leaders. That is why he has held off from criticising the President in public, no matter how morally uncomfortable that makes many in Labour feel.
He comes to DC with one big offering: the decision to raise defence spending by 2027, funded by what some might call Trump-style (or Musk-style) cuts to foreign aid.
The Prime Minister has been at pains to stress that he is co-ordinating closely with Volodymyr Zelensky – who is coming to London this weekend – and he will act as a sort of envoy for the Ukrainian leader in his Oval Office meeting.
There are signs that Trump may be softening towards Zelensky after their very public falling-out. If Starmer can speed up that reconciliation, he will feel that he has done the Western world a great service.
But if the Prime Minister fails in his mission, the potential downside – whether it be a fresh trade war, further pro-Putin messaging from Trump or even the end of Nato – is almost unlimited.
Hugo Gye
Recent reports have suggested that Balmoral is the most likely venue for a Trump state visit.
Following the meeting with the President, the Prime Minister will host a meeting of European leaders in London on Sunday which will also be attended by Volodymyr Zelensky.
Speaking on his way to see Trump, he said: “I’ve got a good relationship with him. As you know, I’ve met him, I’ve spoken to him on the phone, and this relationship between our two countries is a special relationship with a long history, forged as we fought wars together, as we traded together. I want it to go from strength to strength.”
He added: “The President is clearly committed to Nato, clearly committed to the special relationship. He wants peace in Ukraine, we all want peace in Ukraine, not least the Ukrainians. That is why I’ve been absolutely resolute that we’re not going to choose between one side of the Atlantic and the other.”
Trump suggested on Tuesday that he was reluctant to commit US military force to underpin a peace deal, saying: “I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much. We’re going to have Europe do that, because we’re talking about Europe as the next-door neighbour.”
But Starmer repeated his call for the American military to provide a “backstop” to the European peacekeeping force which would be stationed in Ukraine – he said: “The security guarantee has to be sufficient to deter Putin from coming again, because my concern is if there is a ceasefire without a backstop, it will simply give him the opportunity to wait and to come again because his ambition in relation to Ukraine is pretty obvious, I think, for all to see.”
The Prime Minister dismissed claims from the Kremlin that Western peacekeepers would only make a prolonged conflict more likely, saying: “I’m not answering to Putin. I’m considering how we preserve peace in Europe and how we get a lasting peace in Ukraine.”
And he played down transatlantic divisions over whether Putin is responsible for starting the Ukraine war – asked whether Trump was aligned with the UK view, Starmer said: “The President has been very clear about the peace that he wants… There’s no issue between us on this.”
During this trip the Prime Minister hopes to convince the President that he is stepping up his commitment to European security, and reducing the demand for American help, with his announcement that UK defence spending will rise to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 and then to 3 per cent after the next election.
He also sought to allay the concerns of people who may be worried about the Government’s increasingly warlike rhetoric, saying: “I want to reassure the British public that what we’re doing is to ensure their safety, their security and defence of our country. And that is why we’re taking the measures we are in terms of the increase in defence spend.
“I want to also be clear that this is an opportunity because, as we increase defence spend, then that gives an opportunity for our industrial strategy, for jobs across the United Kingdom, good well-paid jobs in defence.
“So I think it’s a message of reassurance that we’re taking the necessary measures to keep our country safe. Because Putin has already caused insecurity in our country, in our waters, and air, in cyberspace, the Salisbury attack, and the conflict has had an impact on our the cost of living and on our energy prices.”
Another topic of conversation between Starmer and Trump is likely to be trade, with the Prime Minister keen to persuade the US not to impose tariffs on Britain and to start work on a comprehensive free-trade agreement in future.
He told reporters: “We’ve got a balanced book, as it were, when it comes to trade. We’ve got strong trade, millions and millions of pounds either way with the US. It’s pretty balanced in terms of surplus and deficit, and obviously I will act in our best economic interests.”
Starmer is being accompanied by key aides including No 10 chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser. Foreign Secretary David Lammy flew out to Washington early for talks with senior figures in the Trump administration, and will join the White House meeting today.
Lammy suggested on Tuesday night that the US would get a veto over proposals to hand over the Chagos Islands from UK rule to Mauritius, because of the American naval base on the largest island, Diego Garcia. He told ITV’s Peston: “If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.”
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