It was the first time Kiel met Donald Trump, and the prime minister had a hilarious two-hour dinner in a lavish New York apartment with the then presidential candidate.
The stakes at the second meeting of the two leaders at the White House this Thursday will be much higher. It takes place a few days after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine amid tensions at the United Nations, during a period of turbulent transatlantic relations.
Authorities avoid directly referring to the president's attacks on Voldimir Zelensky as a “dictator,” and accusations that Prime Minister and Emmanuel Macron in Washington this week that Prime Minister and Emmanuel Macron did not stop this week He said he hopes to alleviate tensions, including doing so. war.
Downing Street has previously adopted a careful response to many controversial announcements and comments that have come out of the White House since Trump began his second term. This week's strategy is no exception.
“We don't want to rile Trump. It will completely counterproductively against both our interests and the security of Ukraine and Europe,” one aide said. “We're much more interested in what he actually does than what he says. I think there's a difference so far.”
But there are none of those who know that the meeting is still the biggest test, as they try to balance UK security and economic interests and maintain a good relationship with the unpredictable president. It could also be a game changer at home.
The priorities have always said that personal relationships are the starting point for diplomacy, and his team knows he needs to play the ball and the ball. “Is Trump still saying that Kiel is a 'nice guy' at the end? We don't know that, but we hope he respects him,” the aide said.
The key is to think at the end of the meeting that Trump is thinking of making sure he feels he is winning. “Whether it's Ukraine, trade or China, we need to convince him that America is getting something from it,” the person added.
At the Scottish Labour Party meeting on Sunday, the prime minister said, “Peace comes only through force.” This is an echo of Trump's central idea of ”America-First” foreign policy. but, Last week's article He continued to warn him. “The opposite is true. Weakness leads to war.”
Downing Street has revealed that Starmer will deliver a harsh message to his meeting with Trump. He claims that Ukraine must be “at the heart of negotiations” with Russia. Putin.
He argues that this is in the interest of the US – Ukraine's future is not just itself, but also a critical issue for the security of the broader Europe, and destabilizing the continent is China could strengthen and damage the US economically.
Perhaps you know that Trump's vanity is one of his more reliable traits, but the priorities may argue that fair outcomes also benefit Trump's own legacy Not there. History judges the trade that Putin represents as bad. Macron could make the same point.
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In Scotland, Starmer told his party it was right to tell the US that NATO allies need to do more to ensure their defense, rather than relying on their biggest partners. . “Now is the time to take responsibility for our security,” he said.
He is expected to tell Trump will raise defensive spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030, in line with the workers' election manifesto. However, the advisor admits that despite the Prime Minister's downplaying expectations for this week's announcement, he may have to show his willingness to go further.
Priorities show how the UK can provide practical defense support, such as placing boots on the ground in Ukraine for peacekeepers. He already shows that this is conditional on the US “backstop” of air, logistics and communication support.
Putin appears to be hoping to bail out sanctions more than anything else, and he urges Britain to resist Trump. Foreign Secretary David Lamy, who is expected to accompany the White House on his visit, announced this week its biggest sanctions package against Moscow since the early week of the war.
Ukraine will inevitably control the talks, but priority will try to persuade Trump to avoid Britain's targets with tariffs, and he will tell him that Britain is running a trade surplus with the US It reminds me. There are also plans on the table to trade in the Chagos Islands and restructure Gaza.
The UK knows that the usual rules of diplomacy do not apply, including that such conversations remain private. Immediately after their speech, priority order and Trump are expected to hold a press conference. Whether or not the meeting was successful or anything else could become clear soon.
