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Donald Trump has specialised in heaping scorn on America’s conventional allies since arriving within the White Home, however on Thursday he adopted a strikingly new strategy: lavishing reward on a “incredible” Britain and his “particular” visitor, Sir Keir Starmer.
The UK prime minister was a “particular man”, King Charles was “a good looking man” and Starmer’s spouse Vic was “a good looking, nice lady”.
Trump even described Starmer’s accent as “stunning”.
The present of appreciation, carried out over a number of hours of negotiations in the White House, was reciprocated in some convivial press occasions, wherein each side appeared decided to point out that it was doable to have a constructive relationship with Trump.
Starmer, who introduced an invite to Scotland for Trump from King Charles, described this honour as “unimaginable” and “unprecedented”. The connection, in case anybody had missed it, was repeatedly described by Starmer as “particular”.
There was substance behind the honey-glazed phrases: Trump surprisingly endorsed Starmer’s deal to switch sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, an settlement beforehand criticised by senior members of his administration.
And the US president dangled the prospect of a US-UK commerce deal — an accord continuously mentioned in London and Washington however by no means truly delivered — as a manner for Britain to dodge Trump’s tariff offensive, together with his risk of a 25 per cent tax on imports from the EU.
However on Starmer’s principal purpose within the White Home talks — securing a US “backstop” for European peacekeepers in Ukraine after a doable peace cope with Russia — he emerged with little to point out for his schmoozing.
Trump’s assertion {that a} new US-Ukraine minerals deal would function a “backstop” in itself, since Russia wouldn’t dare strike at American staff and financial pursuits, didn’t go so far as Starmer would have appreciated. And strictly on the army entrance, Trump declared: “The British don’t want a lot assist.”
Starmer might solely say that there had been a “very productive dialogue” on the difficulty, when requested about it on the press convention that adopted the assembly. “The deal has to return first, however sure, our groups are going to be speaking about how we ensure that deal sticks, is lasting and enforced,” he mentioned.
On Sunday, the UK prime minister will host the representatives of 18 international locations in London to determine what to do subsequent. Will Britain or its allies comply with deploy peacekeepers in Ukraine with out the promise of American help?
Starmer appeared to stay hopeful, praising Trump for “altering the dialog” on Ukraine.
The prime minister may even be capable of declare some consolation, if not encouragement, on the financial entrance.
Trump stopped in need of saying the UK would undoubtedly be spared the excessive levies on imported items that he has been threatening and making use of to America’s closest buying and selling companions.
However the president joked that Starmer “tried” onerous to persuade him to let the UK off the hook. Trump mentioned an exemption from tariffs was possible, so long as the negotiators in Washington and London might agree on a commerce settlement that has been elusive for years.
Each Trump and Starmer had been brief on the small print of such a deal however they mentioned it may very well be centred on digital commerce and superior applied sciences comparable to synthetic intelligence.
“As a substitute of over-regulating these new applied sciences, we’re seizing the alternatives that they provide,” Starmer mentioned.
Trump mentioned the commerce talks would contain his high officers, together with JD Vance, the vice-president, Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, and Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary.
“I feel we’ll have two offers. A deal on ending the conflict, and I feel we’re going to finish up with an important commerce deal,” Trump mentioned.
