Let's not get carried away with Starmer's White House ‘love-in' – he got zero on Ukraine
As he jets back to Britain after his trip to the White House, Sir Keir Starmer is entitled to breathe a sigh of relief. Fears that stiff Starmer would endure a repeat of Theresa May's awkward hand holding incident with Trump when she visited the Oval Office in his first term proved unfounded.
The president was gushing in his praise for the prime minister, and went out of his way to salute the Anglo-US 'special relationship' that some feared had sunk mid-Atlantic. Starmer, looking relaxed and more statesmanlike than usual, returned the compliment in kind.
Barring one or two characteristically eccentric moments, when Starmer's heart must have been in his mouth, Trump did not pull one of his famous stunts, such as ostentatiously picking a piece of dandruff from Emmanuel Macron's suit, as he did a few years ago.
Then again, Starmer arrived at the Oval Office laden with such generous gifts it is a wonder he wasn't asked to pay a tariff on them by US Customs.
Just before boarding the plane in London he announced a multi-billion-pound increase in defence spending. Coincidentally or not, it was just as Trump had been demanding of him and other European leaders, so the US doesn't have to fork out to defend them from his bestie Vladimir Putin.
Far from complaining that he had had to cut Britain's overseas budget in half as a result, Starmer actually thanked Trump. It was only right that Europe rose to the challenge, he said. To put it another way, Trump says 'jump!' and Starmer says: 'How high?'
Starmer's bottom had barely touched his Oval Office chair when he pulled from his inside jacket pocket a present that even billionaire dealmaker Trump could not put a price on.
It is customary for visiting British prime ministers to arrive at the White House with a present for their host. It is usually a first edition, a sculpture or other artefact – it is rarely a signed letter from the monarch promising a trumpet fanfare, banquet and roll of red carpet which stretches all the way to Buckingham Palace.
After giving gold obsessed Trump the metaphorical Crown Jewels of a state visit to Britain, even Trump would have been hard put not to respond graciously.
And it is only fair to say he did, though he laid it on with a trowel so heavily that when, with a theatrical flourish, he lauded cautious lawyer Starmer as a 'tough negotiator,' was I alone in wondering if it was a presidential wind up.
Not that Starmer is returning empty handed. Trump backed his plans to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and suggested Britain may escape his trade tariff war on the EU.
These gains are not to be sniffed at.
But before Starmer gets the Downing Street bunting out it is worth looking beyond the banter at key aspects which did not go his way. Trump rejected his demand for US troops to provide a 'backstop' for British and other European troops in any peace keeping force in Ukraine.
He fobbed him off with warm words about the US plan to send civilian workers to Ukraine as part of a minerals deal between the two countries as being a form of 'backstop.' It is nothing of the sort.
To underline this, Trump stamped on the notion – supported by many in Europe but violently opposed by Putin – that Ukraine might join NATO. He went even further, repeatedly stating his trust in Putin, regularly denounced in blistering terms by Starmer. Though the 'tough negotiator' did not do that in the Oval Office to Trump's face. Funny that.
Similarly, Trump took gleeful delight in dodging the question when ITV's Robert Peston challenged him outright to apologise for calling president Zelensky a dictator. And at one point, he appeared to mock Starmer, asking him if he thought Britain could take on Russia on its own.
Starmer smiled. The truthful answer would have been, 'No, Mr President, not without America.' For all the warm words in the White House, that is where Britain stood before Starmer went to Washington. And it is where it stands afterwards.
No sooner than Starmer's plane lands will he then host vital meetings on Ukraine this weekend. Everyone will be there: all the main European leaders – and president Zelensky.
But Starmer's new best friends the Americans will not be there. That is the reality of the new 'special relationship.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
37 minutes ago
- Leader Live
UK pushes for lower Russian oil cap as PM denies coalition of the willing is dead
The Prime Minister said he 'strongly' believes that restrictions on the price of Russian crude oil should be strengthened to deplete the revenues Vladimir Putin uses to fund his war machine. The UK announced sanctions on 30 fresh targets linked to the Kremlin on Tuesday in a bid to ramp up pressure on Moscow as it continues resist calls for an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. A wider package of measures which Sir Keir suggested would be forthcoming from allies gathered at the G7 summit in Canada is yet to materialise after splits opened up in the approach to Russia on Monday. Downing Street said Britain also plans to 'move with partners to tighten the oil price cap' after the group of the world's wealthiest countries agreed in 2022 to restrict the price Russian crude oil to 60 dollars a barrel. Speaking to reporters with him in Kananaskis, Sir Keir was asked whether such a move would be possible without the backing of the US, which has indicated reluctance to impose further sanctions on Moscow. 'Obviously today we're going to focus on Ukraine,' Sir Keir said. 'We've got President (Volodymyr) Zelensky coming in. We're putting in extra sanctions today, including sanctions on the shadow fleet. 'Others will be doing, similar actions in coming days. And so that does ramp up the pressure. 'On the oil price, obviously, we're still looking at how we're going to make that work. But I strongly believe that we have to put those sanctions in place. We're having those discussions with President Zelensky today.' Before abruptly leaving the summit on Monday, US President Donald Trump suggested he wanted to wait to 'see whether or not a deal is done' with Ukraine before targeting the Kremlin with further action. His remarks are awkward for Sir Keir, with whom he appeared to announce the completion of the US-UK trade deal, after the Prime Minister said G7 allies would seek to target Russian energy revenues. Talks to broker a possible peace in Ukraine have stalled as Moscow continues to pound the country with missile and drone attacks and holds out on US-backed proposals for an unconditional truce. Meanwhile, the UK and France have been leading efforts to assemble a so-called 'coalition of the willing' made up of nations prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Kyiv to enforce a potential truce. Asked whether those plans were dead in the water, Sir Keir told reporters: 'On the coalition of the willing, no, not at all. That is obviously intended to answer the question, how do you ensure that if a deal is reached, a deal is kept so it's a lasting deal? 'Because the concern, has always been, that there have been deals, if you like, before, Putin has then subsequently breached them. 'So how do you stop that happening again? And the military planning is still going on, as you would expect, so that, when the time comes, we're ready to act.' Mr Zelensky is attending the G7 conference in Kananaskis, along with leaders from Canada, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. The Russian invasion is the top of the agenda on Tuesday, with Sir Keir also meeting the Ukrainian leader for face-to-face talks on the sidelines of the summit. Earlier, the UK announced sanctions targeting 20 oil tankers in Russia's shadow fleet, as well as measures to tighten the net around companies managing the vessels, Orion Star Group LLC and Valegro LLC-FZ. Britain also targeted two UK residents – Vladimir Pristoupa and Olech Tkacz – who the Government said had operated 'a shadowy network of shell companies' aiding Moscow. The branch of the Russian defence ministry leading the country's underwater intelligence gathering operations, known as Gugi, has also been sanctioned. Sir Keir said: 'These sanctions strike right at the heart of Putin's war machine, choking off his ability to continue his barbaric war in Ukraine. 'We know that our sanctions are hitting hard, so while Putin shows total disregard for peace, we will not hesitate to keep tightening the screws. 'The threat posed by Russia cannot be underestimated, so I'm determined to take every step necessary to protect our national security and keep our country safe and secure.'
Scottish Sun
42 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Daniel Levy says Spurs aiming to WIN Champions League under ‘super' Thomas Frank and reveals why Ange had to go
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DANIEL LEVY wants more European glory for Tottenham and has targeted winning the Champions League. The bullish Spurs chairman is also eyeing a Premier League title after declaring last month's Europa League triumph as 'not enough' to satisfy the club's sky-high ambitions. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy wants to win the Premier League and Champions League 8 Levy insists 'everything is about the team' 8 Levy backed his call to sack Ange Postecoglou as manager 8 Levy praised new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank Levy backed his call to sack Ange Postecoglou - the man who ended the club's 17-year trophy drought - and hailed replacement Thomas Frank as a 'super human-being'. The supremo, 63, declared: 'We've won a European trophy, but it's not enough. It's what we haven't done that's more important. 'We need to win the league. We want to win the Premier League, we want to win the Champions League.' Levy is into his 25th year of running Spurs, having won just two trophies in that time. Postecoglou delivered the most recent of those by beating Manchester United in last month's final in Bilbao, qualifying Spurs for the Champions League. But the Aussie, 59, became the 13th permanent boss to be fired by Levy after a disastrous 17th-placed finish in the Premier League. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS The club then turned to Brentford chief Frank, 51, who new Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham said was 'absolutely the No1' choice out of a list of more than 30 candidates. Speaking in an in-house interview alongside ex-Arsenal supremo Venkatesham, Levy added: 'We want to build on the success of winning a trophy last season. 'One of the things that stood out to me with Thomas is he's clearly highly intelligent, a great communicator, a super human-being, plus all the other technical aspects which are obviously important.' Levy, who has had supporters taking to the streets protesting against his running of the club this season, claimed he had 'very broad shoulders' to deal with criticism and that 'failure is not an option'. Why Thomas Frank is the PERFECT manager for Tottenham He claimed it was not his decision alone to fire Postecoglou and insists he still has an 'excellent relationship' with the ex-Celtic boss. The highest-paid director in the Premier League added: 'I'm very grateful to Ange. I don't regret appointing Ange. 'In his first season we finished fifth. In our second season, we were over the moon to win a trophy. 'But we need to compete in all competitions and we felt we needed to change. 'I've got an excellent relationship with him. I told him, 'You're always going to be part of our history'. Himself and his family are always welcome back. 8 'It was a collective decision, it wasn't my decision. We do everything together. 'Emotionally it was difficult, but we believe we've made the right decision for the club.' Levy also insisted that any funds brought in by the club's non-football use of the stadium - such as pop concerts, NFL matches and boxing fights, is for reinvesting in the team. He added: 'We're very proud of the stadium, but we need to win on the pitch. There's no point in having a wonderful stadium if you haven't got a wonderful team winning. 'The reason we do all these other events is to provide additional financial resources to the club which in turn, goes back into the team. Everything is about the team, everything.' Meanwhile, it is understood Tottenham are not planning to sell goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario this summer despite suggestions of interest from AC Milan emerging from Italy. 8 Levy is determined to win even more silverware with Tottenham 8 Levy is convinced Frank can win even more honours at Tottenham
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
UK pushes for lower Russian oil cap as PM denies coalition of the willing is dead
The Prime Minister said he 'strongly' believes that restrictions on the price of Russian crude oil should be strengthened to deplete the revenues Vladimir Putin uses to fund his war machine. The UK announced sanctions on 30 fresh targets linked to the Kremlin on Tuesday in a bid to ramp up pressure on Moscow as it continues resist calls for an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. A wider package of measures which Sir Keir suggested would be forthcoming from allies gathered at the G7 summit in Canada is yet to materialise after splits opened up in the approach to Russia on Monday. Downing Street said Britain also plans to 'move with partners to tighten the oil price cap' after the group of the world's wealthiest countries agreed in 2022 to restrict the price Russian crude oil to 60 dollars a barrel. Speaking to reporters with him in Kananaskis, Sir Keir was asked whether such a move would be possible without the backing of the US, which has indicated reluctance to impose further sanctions on Moscow. 'Obviously today we're going to focus on Ukraine,' Sir Keir said. 'We've got President (Volodymyr) Zelensky coming in. We're putting in extra sanctions today, including sanctions on the shadow fleet. 'Others will be doing, similar actions in coming days. And so that does ramp up the pressure. 'On the oil price, obviously, we're still looking at how we're going to make that work. But I strongly believe that we have to put those sanctions in place. We're having those discussions with President Zelensky today.' Before abruptly leaving the summit on Monday, US President Donald Trump suggested he wanted to wait to 'see whether or not a deal is done' with Ukraine before targeting the Kremlin with further action. His remarks are awkward for Sir Keir, with whom he appeared to announce the completion of the US-UK trade deal, after the Prime Minister said G7 allies would seek to target Russian energy revenues. Talks to broker a possible peace in Ukraine have stalled as Moscow continues to pound the country with missile and drone attacks and holds out on US-backed proposals for an unconditional truce. Meanwhile, the UK and France have been leading efforts to assemble a so-called 'coalition of the willing' made up of nations prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Kyiv to enforce a potential truce. Asked whether those plans were dead in the water, Sir Keir told reporters: 'On the coalition of the willing, no, not at all. That is obviously intended to answer the question, how do you ensure that if a deal is reached, a deal is kept so it's a lasting deal? 'Because the concern, has always been, that there have been deals, if you like, before, Putin has then subsequently breached them. 'So how do you stop that happening again? And the military planning is still going on, as you would expect, so that, when the time comes, we're ready to act.' Mr Zelensky is attending the G7 conference in Kananaskis, along with leaders from Canada, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. The Russian invasion is the top of the agenda on Tuesday, with Sir Keir also meeting the Ukrainian leader for face-to-face talks on the sidelines of the summit. Earlier, the UK announced sanctions targeting 20 oil tankers in Russia's shadow fleet, as well as measures to tighten the net around companies managing the vessels, Orion Star Group LLC and Valegro LLC-FZ. Britain also targeted two UK residents – Vladimir Pristoupa and Olech Tkacz – who the Government said had operated 'a shadowy network of shell companies' aiding Moscow. The branch of the Russian defence ministry leading the country's underwater intelligence gathering operations, known as Gugi, has also been sanctioned. Sir Keir said: 'These sanctions strike right at the heart of Putin's war machine, choking off his ability to continue his barbaric war in Ukraine. 'We know that our sanctions are hitting hard, so while Putin shows total disregard for peace, we will not hesitate to keep tightening the screws. 'The threat posed by Russia cannot be underestimated, so I'm determined to take every step necessary to protect our national security and keep our country safe and secure.'
