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Sir Keir Starrer tries to form “a bridge” between Washington and Europe against the background of the deepening of transatlantic tensions about Ukraine, trade, defense and freedom of speech.
The British Prime Minister is expected to take part in a summit on Monday, which is organized by French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss a European approach to termination of the war in Ukraine, since US President Donald Trump ends the continent.
It will probably be traveling to Washington in the last week of February to convince Trump to involve European nations in the Ukrainian talks and try to deduct the US tariffs.
The Prime Minister said that this was “a one -time moment for our national security when we deal with the reality of the world and the threat from Russia today”.
He added: “Great Britain will work to ensure that we hold the United States and Europe together. We cannot allow divisions in alliance to distract from the enemies that we are exposed. “
Downing Street said that there would be another meeting of European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Starrer had returned from his conversations with Trump.
Great Britain – like other European countries – is subject to Trump to increase defense spending against the background of the slow growth and tense public services.
Starrer has undertaken to “build a path” to increase defense spending in Great Britain from 2.3 percent of GDP to 2.5 percent, but has not yet said when this goal would be achieved. Chancellor Rachel Reeves tries to Keep expenditure at 2.3 percent, when your budget plans become heavily.
The idea of a British “bridge” between Washington and Europe fell apart after the Brexit, whereby US President often spoke to Berlin or Paris together with the EU leaders in Brussels.
But the allies of Starrers believe that Trump has a positive view of the UK that could be used in the political influence, even if Vice President JD Vance criticized Great Britain’s approach last week.
“I think we in Great Britain can be a bridge between the United States and Europe if we are preparing to this new era,” said Jonathan Reynolds, Minister of Commerce and Commerce on Sunday. “It is certainly a new era.”
Reynolds told the BBC of Laura Kuensberg that Britain’s relatively high defense spending, a balanced trade relationship and easy touch Regulation of artificial intelligence Could work for the advantage of the UK.
“There is definitely a look at Europe and a different look at us in Great Britain,” said Reynolds. “We have the chance to play a constructive role.” In the trade he said that the United States had seen Britain “in a different light”.
Lord Peter Mandelson, British ambassador in Washington, said Great Britain should make a virtue Be “not Europe “. It remains to be seen whether this is the wishful thinking of Starrer, since Trump’s plan to raise the tariffs across the board and the criticism of Vances in Great Britain last week.
Vance announced the Munich Security Conference last week that “fundamental freedoms of religious British, in particular” were threatened and criticized the persecution of an anti-abortation demonstrator.
Even if Starer Trump persuades the Britain to provide special treatment – for example in tariffs – this would complicate the Starmers parallel attempt to “reset” Relationships with the EU, including the removal of commercial barriers.
Trump said on Friday that Starrer had applied for a meeting in Washington and that the two leaders had “a lot of good things going”. He said the meeting would “take place very soon” and added: “I think he wants to come next week or the week after.”
David Lammy, Foreign Minister, has asked the United States, who do not move out of Kyiv, to connect the American business interests – including the defense and industrial sector – to the future defense of Ukraine.
“Putin will make it upset and draw attention, and this is attractive for a US president who knows how to get a lot,” said Lammy last week.
