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Despite demands from the president-elect’s supporters to choose between Washington and Brussels, Sir Keir Starmer issued a warning to Donald Trump on Monday night that he would not support America against the EU.
The Prime Minister said in a significant foreign policy address that it was “plain wrong” to imply that Britain needed to get closer to the US or Europe as a result of Mr. Trump’s return to the White House.
As an alternative, he pledged to “rebuild our ties with Europe too” and “invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends.”
The Prime Minister made overtures to Mr. Trump in the address, emphasizing the need of getting Ukraine ready for peace talks and urging Europe to increase defense spending.
There has been discussion over whether Sir Keir should now support America or Europe in the wake of Mr. Trump’s overwhelming win in last month’s US presidential election.
Stephen Moore, the Republican’s top economic advisor, has joined the fray, stating that the UK must reject the EU’s “socialist model.”
Within his own party, Sir Keir has been under pressure to turn away from Mr. Trump and mend fences with the EU.
But the prime minister rejected the “either/or” option in his address at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London on Monday night.
“The idea that we must choose between our allies – that somehow we’re with America or Europe – is plain wrong against the backdrop of these dangerous times,” he added. I completely reject it.
There was no choice between allies for [Clement] Attlee. Churchill [Winston] made no decision. We must cooperate with both in the benefit of the country.
For more than a century, our security and prosperity have been based on our connection with the United States. We will always be focused on it.
There’s a reason we call it the special connection. It is inscribed in the ink of mutual sacrifice rather than in some dusty, dry contract.
Regarding Europe, he said, “And we will also rebuild our ties with Europe.” I regret to inform you that the dreadful legacy our government inherited in a number of areas, including the NHS’s condition and the country’s finances, goes beyond our borders.
They ignored certain allies, rejected others, ignored the world, and took important ties for granted. Too often, our image as a reliable, stable, and trustworthy partner was supplanted by one of chaos driven by transient political issues, swinging from extreme to extreme.
Insiders in Downing Street believe that Mr. Trump would ignore the criticism that he has received from many members of the Labour Cabinet, notably Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who has referred to him as a “sociopath” and a “tyrant.”
According to Sir Keir, Ukraine has to be ready for peace negotiations. Following Russia’s invasion in February 2022, many British prime ministers have maintained that in order to completely defeat Vladimir Putin’s soldiers, Ukraine needs military assistance.
However, he said in the address that allies should now concentrate on fortifying Kyiv in preparation for “negotiations.”
“We have to keep supporting Ukraine and do everything we can to help them defend themselves for as long as it takes.”
He said. to provide Ukraine the best negotiating position possible so they may achieve a fair and long-lasting peace on their own terms that protects their independence, security, and freedom to decide their own destiny.
Kyiv and European cities have changed their stance on how the war will end as a result of Mr. Trump’s pledge to bring all sides of the conflict together to finish it quickly.
On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke candidly for the first time the prospect of Russian-occupied territory being relinquished in peace negotiations.
The prime minister said it was time for European partners to “step up,” echoing Mr. Trump’s requests for them to boost defense expenditure.
He reiterated his commitment to outlining his proposals to increase UK defense expenditure from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5%, but it is unclear when he would do so.
At their first encounter, which is anticipated to take place early next year, Sir Keir is likely to emphasize to Mr. Trump the consequences for the West if Putin is seen as having “won” the conflict.
“Today is the day to decide the future of freedom in Europe,” he declared. We are in immediate danger from Russia, an unpredictable and more desperate aggressor on our continent that is using all of its resources, including Iranian missiles and North Korean forces, to murder and conquer.
Therefore, there is no doubt that supporting Ukraine is the proper thing to do. We must be explicit, however, that it is primarily in our own best interests.
I would want everyone here to pause and consider the implications of a Russian victory for our continent, the globe, and ourselves.
What would it signify for our principles of liberty, democracy, and trade? It indicates their weakness. The new NATO secretary general forewarned Mr. Trump last night.
That if Ukraine were pressured into making concessions to end the conflict with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea would pose a “dire threat” to the US.
Mark Rutte warned that the president-elect’s peace agreement proposals would cause the adversaries of the West to “high-fiive” and organize their own strikes.
He urged the US to maintain military assistance in the meantime and told the Financial Times that when it came time for Ukraine to talk with Russia, there had to be a “good deal.”
In his address, Sir Keir made it apparent that he would continue with his “reset” in ties with the EU, which is anticipated to include talks on a defense and security agreement the next year.
A youth mobility agreement that would allow more young Europeans to relocate to the UK and vice versa has also been discussed by Sir Keir’s ministers and European officials.
There will be “no return to freedom of movement, no return to the customs union, and no return to the single market,” the prime minister emphasized.
The address also defended international courts in the wake of criticism of the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sir Keir declared his commitment to “international law, [and] the UN Charter” and accused the previous Conservative administration of “demonizing” international tribunals, which Britain helped establish, as “foreign.”
He cautioned that a “feeling among many that the system isn’t working for them” had resulted from “unsustainable” migration numbers.
More than 20,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour took control at the start of July, it was revealed.