Keir Starmer's stance: No UK choice between US and EU
The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, warned Donald Trump on Monday evening that London would not side with the United States against the EU, despite calls from Trump’s allies for the UK to pick between Brussels and Washington.
In a significant foreign policy speech, the prime minister stated that it was “simply wrong” to suggest that Trump’s return to the White House would mean the UK must align either with Europe or the US.
He promised, instead, to build bridges with both, vowing to invest more than ever in the transatlantic connection “with our American friends.”
Following Trump’s resounding victory in last month’s US presidential elections, a full debate has erupted on whether British Prime Minister Keir Starmer should now align with America or Europe.
Stephen Moore, Trump’s chief economic adviser, declared that the UK should reject the EU’s “socialist model.”
However, in a speech delivered at the annual banquet of the Mayor of London on Monday evening, the prime minister dismissed the supposed obligation to choose: “either/or.”
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, successive British prime ministers have insisted that Ukraine must receive military support to fully defeat Vladimir Putin’s forces. But Starmer believes that allies should now focus on strengthening Kyiv for “negotiations.”
Trump has repeatedly promised to bring both sides of the conflict together to end the war quickly, and his imminent return to the White House has caused Kyiv and European capitals to reassess their positions on how the war might conclude.
Starmer also echoed Trump’s stance, insisting that NATO’s European allies must increase defense spending. He reiterated his commitment to presenting plans to raise the UK’s defense spending from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5%, although the target date remains undefined.
Mark Rutte, NATO’s new Secretary-General, warned Trump that the US would face a “grave threat” from China, Iran, and North Korea if Ukraine were forced to make concessions to end the war with Russia.
Regarding relations with Europe, Keir Starmer stated that he is in negotiations to enable more young Europeans to move to the UK—and vice versa—under a youth mobility agreement. However, he insisted that “there will be no return to free movement, no return to the customs union, and no return to the single market.”
Signed by Dan Alexe
Translation by Iurie Tataru
