Keir Starmer, the UK Labour leader, met with former US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office to discuss pressing international issues, including trade, defense spending, and the ongoing situation in Ukraine. The meeting highlighted various points of contention and agreement between the two leaders as they addressed the future of UK-US relations.
Starmer and Trump engaged in a discussion about the longstanding alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom. Trump emphasized that the two countries have historically supported one another. However, Starmer corrected this assertion by stating, "No, in fact, to be frank, we paid," referring to financial contributions made by the UK.
The conversation also covered defense spending, where Starmer noted the UK's increase in this area. He remarked that "quite a bit of ours was gifted," indicating that some of the defense support was not merely transactional. Trump, on the other hand, reiterated his stance on imposing tariffs on the UK, but expressed optimism about a potential trade deal that might eliminate the need for such measures.
"We’ve had great discussions on trade and I think we’re going to have a deal done rather quickly. As quickly as it can be done. We’re going to have something, I think, rather quickly." – Donald Trump
In addressing European aid to Ukraine, Starmer attempted to correct Trump's repeated assertion that all aid from Europe to Ukraine would eventually be repaid. Starmer stressed that any deal for Ukraine must be one "that sticks," highlighting the importance of sustainable agreements.
Trump remained firm in his belief about European aid repayment and expressed his intention to have a productive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the following day. He accused a questioner of trying to fabricate a divide between the US and Canada, dismissing any notion of discord between the two nations.
Trump also commented on Europe's defense spending, urging European countries to increase their contributions. In response, Starmer announced his plans to host representatives from 18 European countries in London over the weekend to discuss NATO's Article 5. He affirmed his commitment to boosting the UK’s defense budget as a measure to prevent future aggressions by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"He tried. He was working hard. I’ll tell you that he earned whatever the hell they pay him over there, but he tried." – Donald Trump
"In all fairness, in all seriousness, I think we have a very good chance at arriving at a very good deal." – Donald Trump