Unlock the White House Watch watch newsletter for free
Your guide on what the US elections of 2024 mean for Washington and Le Monde
Sir Keir Starmer seeks to act as a “bridge” between Washington and Europe in the context of the deepening of transatlantic tensions on Ukraine, defense, trade and freedom of expression.
The British Prime Minister will attend a summit organized by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to discuss the role of Europe in the end of the war in Ukraine, in the midst of signs that US President Donald Trump is out of the continent .
Starmer allies say that Great Britain could put boots on the ground in Ukraine in the context of a European effort to ensure peace. The Paris meeting should discuss a possible deployment of a “comfort force” with troops stationed behind, but not on a future ceasefire line.
Starmer should then go to Washington in the last week of February to try to persuade Trump to fully involve European nations in Ukraine and try to trigger American prices.
The Prime Minister said that it was “a unique moment for our national security when we are committed to the reality of the world today and the threat that we are confronted with Russia”.
He added: “The United Kingdom will endeavor to guarantee the United States and Europe. We cannot allow any division of the Alliance to distract enemies we face. »»
Downing Street said he was expecting that there was another meeting of European leaders, notably the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Starmer returned from his talks with Trump.
Great Britain – like other European countries – undergoes fierce pressure from Trump to increase defense spending on a background of slow growth and tense public services.
Starmer has undertaken to explain “a way” to pass defense expenses in the United Kingdom of 2.3% of GDP to 2.5%, but has not been said so far when this objective would be achieved .
Starmer allies insisted that defense expenses would not exceed the target of 2.5% of the GDP set out in the Labor Manifesto, creating increasing tensions with the defense leaders who want more.
“There will certainly be no announcement before Trump’s visit,” said an ally of the Prime Minister, referring to the calendar to reach 2.5%. “We must first end the strategic defense exam.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves wants to keep expenses at 2.3% as long as possible, As his tax plans are subject to high tension. Starmer, who makes the final decision, is under pressure from the White House and the Defense leaders to quickly increase to 2.5%.
The budgetary rule of Reeves requires that the current budget be excess by 2029, but its 9.9 billion pounds sterling of “height” against this rule have already been stunned by dark economic forecasts. More reductions in expenditure or tax increases are likely to be necessary to fill the gap.
If Great Britain increased defense expenses to 2.5% of GDP in 2029 – which should be an electoral year – this would force you to find an additional 5 billion pounds at a time when other public services are already closely tight.
Defense leaders told Starmer on Friday that they needed 2.5% of GDP to spend now to avoid immediate cuts, according to people informed of the discussions.
They then want to increase this level to 2.65% – 10 billion pounds sterling per year more than at present – a figure which was rejected as unaffordable both by Starmer and Reeves.
The idea of a British “bridge” between Washington and Europe collapsed after Brexit, American presidents often preferring to speak in Berlin or Paris with EU leaders in Brussels.
But the Allies of Starmer believe that Trump has a positive vision of Great Britain, which could be exploited in political influence, even if the vice-president JD Vance criticized the approach of the United Kingdom in matters of freedom of ‘expression.
Jonathan Reynolds, secretary to business and trade, told BBC on Sunday that the balanced commercial relationship and the light touch of Great Britain Regulation of artificial intelligence could work for the advantage of the United Kingdom.
“There is certainly a vision of Europe and a different vision of us in the United Kingdom,” said Reynolds. “We are fortunate to play a constructive role.” On trade, he said that the United States had seen Great Britain “in a different light”.
Lord Peter Mandelson, British ambassador to Washington, recently said that Great Britain should make a virtue of be “not Europe “. It remains to be seen if it is a vow vow on the part of Starmer, given the declared plan of Trump to take the prices at all levels and the criticism of Vance for Great Britain last week.
Vance said to the Munich Security Conference last week that “the fundamental freedoms of the British religious, in particular” were threatened, criticizing the continuation of an anti-abortion demonstrator.
Even if Starmer Persuade Trump to give special treatment in Great Britain – for example on prices – that would complicate the Prime Minister Parallel attempt to “reset” Relations with the EU, in particular by removing commercial barriers.
Trump said on Friday that Starmer asked Washington a meeting and that the two leaders had “a lot of good things”. He said that the meeting would take place “very soon”, adding: “I think he wanted to come next week or the following week.”
