UK not choosing between US and EU, says Keir Starmer


The Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated that the country is not selecting between the United States and the European Union, following threats by President Donald Trump to impose trade tariffs on the EU. Over the weekend, Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, implying that he would employ a similar plan against the EU, but suggested a deal could be “worked out” with the UK. Sir Keir commented that both relationships with the US and EU are crucial to the UK. The prime minister, who said he backed “open and strong trading relations”, was in Brussels to meet the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, and will attend talks with EU leaders – the first PM to do so since Brexit.

Current NATO spending is inadequate to keep the community safe, according to Stoltenberg. While Nato urges each member to spend a minimum of 2% of GDP on defence, it is assumed that only 23 of the 32 members are meeting the set target. Sir Keir commented that the UK’s defence spending is 2.3% and that his government will shortly be outlining the measures to attain 2.5%. He travelled to Brussels to talk about the areas of defence and security, but also to “reset” relations with the EU in fields such as trade.

Trump believes that implementing tariffs will drive the growth of the economy of the US and safeguard its jobs, yet it could cause higher pricing for consumers, as costs adjust to accommodate taxes. Last year, an analysis from the University of Sussex suggested that the UK could face a £22bn loss to exports should the US impose a blanket 20% tariff on all imports. Sir Keir is keen to develop closer bonds with the EU, but this could anger the US and risk the UK being drawn into a trade war. The EU could be unhappy if Sir Keir took the side of the US, rather than its European partners.

French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned that, if EU interests were attacked, the community would have to “make itself respected and thus react”. EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas said: “There are no winners in trade wars.” Trump stated, while he was asked whether he would impose tariffs on the UK: “UK is out of line, but I’m sure that one… I think that one can be worked out.

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