Trump and Starmer’s Historic Meeting at the White House
WASHINGTON – In a notable display of camaraderie, former President Donald Trump warmly praised UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during their inaugural meeting in the Oval Office. The discussions touched on several significant topics, including Trump’s commitment to support Ukraine in reclaiming territory seized by Russia and his endorsement of the UK’s proposal to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Despite the friendly atmosphere, Trump did not fully commit to the security “backstop” that the UK desires as part of any future peace settlement for Ukraine.
Invitation for a Second State Visit
As the meeting commenced, Prime Minister Starmer presented Trump with a letter from His Majesty King Charles III, extending his best wishes and formally inviting Trump to undertake a second state visit to Britain. Starmer expressed, “It is my pleasure to bring from His Majesty the King a letter, and he sends his best wishes and regards, of course.” After reading the letter in silence, Trump admired the King’s “beautiful” signature before encouraging Starmer to share its contents. The invitation hinted at two proposed trips: an initial visit to Balmoral, likely scheduled for this summer, followed by a grand state visit at Windsor Castle.
During the meeting, Trump complimented Starmer personally, calling him a “special man” and referring to his wife, Victoria, who was not present, as a “beautiful, great woman.”
Support for the Chagos Islands Agreement
British conservatives have long speculated that the US administration might oppose the proposed transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, mainly due to the presence of a significant American naval base on Diego Garcia. However, when asked about the agreement, Trump assured, “There will be a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease” ensuring the base’s future. He added, “I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country… It’s a little bit early, we have yet to be given the details, but it doesn’t sound bad.”
Reconciliation with Zelensky
On the eve of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House, Trump adopted a notably more amicable tone than in the past. When questioned about his previous remarks labeling Zelensky a “dictator,” Trump replied humorously, “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that.” He emphasized his “very good relationship” with Zelensky and suggested that a potential agreement for the US to utilize Ukraine’s rare earth mineral reserves could enhance the country’s security, making it less vulnerable to future Russian aggression. Nonetheless, a moment of tension arose when Trump reiterated his claim that European countries were recouping their contributions to Ukraine’s war efforts, prompting a rebuttal from Starmer.
Restoring Ukraine’s Territories
While previous statements from Washington hinted that the prospect of Ukraine recovering lost territories was unrealistic, Trump expressed a more optimistic outlook, stating, “There are a lot of areas that were taken, we will be talking about that, and we will be seeing if we can get a lot of it back.” He contrasted this with NATO membership for Kyiv, which the US seems to be dismissing entirely, saying, “It’s not going to happen; it’s just not going to happen; that’s what started the whole thing.” Trump refrained from committing to a “backstop” for a Europe-wide peacekeeping force, suggesting instead that he trusted Putin would uphold the terms of any peace agreement, stating, “I’ve known him for a long time now and… I don’t believe he’s going to violate his word.”
Support for Brexit
Trump took pride in having predicted the UK’s decision to leave the European Union in 2016, yet he did not engage with suggestions that Starmer’s “Brexit reset” might complicate closer ties with the US. He remarked, “I think we have just a great relationship… Frankly, what they did was the right thing at the time and probably will prove to be correct over the centuries; you have a long time to go. I predicted it would happen, and it did happen. It will work itself out; I think it’s already worked itself out.”
