President Trump's overture to Russian President Putin to end the war in Ukraine is rattling European leaders. Few people have been transformed as British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer was more than the one elected last summer on the standard issue of reviving his country's economy and public services.
Now, Stage has found himself walking the world stage at the fateful moment of his Transatlantic Alliance. In a busy few weeks, he, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, led the European response to peace talks. He mediates Trump and Ukrainian President Volodimia Zelensky. And he is lobbying Trump to keep him from leaving Europe with aggressive Russian mercy.
This is four takeaways from a recent series of conversations held with the New York Times.
Europe must help secure a settlement between Ukraine and Russia.
The Prime Minister welcomed Trump's efforts to end the war and made a call between Trump and Putin last week. However, he said without a robust security arrangement, the peace agreement would make Ukraine vulnerable to future intrusions.
“I don't trust Putin, so I'll take everything he says with some caution,” Starmer said. “We know what will happen if there is no security arrangement and he will eventually violate the transaction in his own time.”
Europe must play a leading role in providing that security, he said. Starmer has dedicated much of his energy to unite a coalition of willing in recent weeks.
Both Britain and France have committed military forces, but so far no other European countries have gone public. Starmer played the lack of announcements, saying peace negotiations were uncertain and the military mission of deterrent was unclear and that it was still early in the process.
“How do you incorporate the concept into your plan?” Starmer said. “If there is a transaction, how do you make sure there are plans to implement it? What we can't do is wait for the transaction and say 'right'.
It is paramount to preserve “special relationships” with the United States.
With regard to relations between the UK and the US, Stage adhered to simple policies. There is no sunlight.
“We're different from some of our other allies,” he said. “Based on defense, security and intelligence, we are intertwined in ways that are not available to us in two other countries. It is our own interest to continue doing that.”
Starmer is working to build a relationship with Trump, and so far he said, it paid off.
“I've seen him many times now,” he said. “I told him on the phone in a lot of cases. I think we have a really good relationship. I think he absolutely wants peace in Ukraine. That's what he's driving. I think he's committed to NATO.”
Priority acknowledged the new importance of the royal family in British diplomacy.
Starmer has a lesser secret weapon in navigating this tricky era: the royal family. He handed him a letter from King Charles III last month.
“President Trump talked about his love for the royal family and what it meant to have him meet the late Queen,” recalls Starmer. “That's important because I think other countries are seeing it.”
Charles has had a busy diplomatic dance card in recent weeks and met with Zelensky after a clash with Trump. He played two hosts, two Canadian prime ministers, Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney.
“It's not for me to speak for the royal family,” said the always courageous Stage. However, he said “the Canadian Prime Minister is his prime minister,” referring to the fact that the king is also the head of state in Canada.
In a more unstable world, the UK needs to strengthen its own defense and security.
“I still remember how I felt when the Berlin Wall fell,” Hoshi said as he discussed Europe's attitude towards defense. “It was the beginning of a new era in which democracy and freedom values ​​were prevailed. In my life, I never thought I would see the occupation of Russia again.”
In Europe, “the dividend of peace has been going on for a long time,” he said, the importance of paying for defense slipped behind other priorities.
Now he said “there is more immediacy and urgency” for Europe to do more. “For years, European countries have said they need to step on defense and security, but we haven't done that,” Starmer said. “I feel very strongly that the moment of speaking is over and the moment of action is now.”
