WASHINGTON — Over a lunch of grilled seabass followed by chocolate caramel cake, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was welcomed to Washington by US President Donald Trump, who praised the warm relationship between the two leaders before discussions began.
Negotiations to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end loomed over their talks, as Trump has hardened his stance towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in recent weeks — calling the wartime leader a dictator and praising his own relationships with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy.
When asked on Thursday about his “dictator” comment, Trump said, “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that,” appearing to walk back his remarks. Zelenskyy is due in Washington on Friday, where he is expected to sign a critical minerals deal with the US, Trump said, adding that the signing will likely take place in front of the press. Trump said that the US will be “dig, dig, digging,” in Ukraine after the deal is signed.
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Press Conference
In an email to the press before the conference, the White House communications team wrote that Starmer was Prime Minister of Ireland, in addition to the UK.
Trump seemed to reiterate the mistake before his lunch with Starmer — when speaking about his investments in the region, Trump said “I own Turnbury. I have Aberdeen, and I own a great place called Doonbeg in Ireland, so you know I have a great warm spot for your country,” insinuating that Doonbeg, Ireland was in the UK.
UK Defence
Starmer thanked Trump for his work on a deal, saying that the UK is “ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air” to support a Ukraine-Russia agreement. Starmer’s remarks come on the heels of the Prime Minister’s pledge to raise the UK’s defense spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, a hike achieved by cutting overseas development aid from 0.5% to 0.3%.
The UK and France are working together to develop a reassurance force for Ukraine, composed of less than 30,000 troops. Starmer said in Washington that he has spoken to a number of countries on the force, saying that he will be hosting 18 countries on Sunday (March 2) to further discuss defence and security for Europe.
The European Union is expected to unveil a defence package for Ukraine on March 6th, to be announced by President António Costa. Zelenskyy has been invited to Brussels for the occasion.
US-UK Trade
While Trump told reporters that the European Union’s treatment of the US has been unfair, he struck a different tone when it came to London. Asked whether the US plans to impose tariffs on the UK, Trump said, “We’ll have to take a look,” adding that the matter would be part of his discussions with Starmer.
Following discussions, Trump said that the UK and the US are likely to sign a trade deal very soon but didn’t offer further information on the said deal.
Trump called Starmer a “tough negotiator,” saying that the UK leader worked hard to convince Washington against tariffs on the UK at their meetings. The US president expressed optimism in the two countries reaching an agreement.
UK Chagos Island Deal
Trump also said he is inclined to back the UK’s Chagos Islands deal, which would cede sovereignty of the 60-island group to Mauritius. The agreement was reached in October 2024 after 13 rounds of negotiations between London and Port Louis.
“We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well,” Trump told reporters ahead of his lunch with Starmer. The US is seen as a key player in the deal’s success — Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on the eve of Starmer’s visit that the agreement would not proceed if the US opposed it.
The Chagos Archipelago consists of around 60 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean, roughly 500km (310 miles) south of the Maldives. Once part of Britain’s Mauritius colony, the islands were designated the British Indian Ocean Territory in 1965.
Mauritius has long campaigned for the return of the Chagos Islands, arguing it was forced to cede the territory in exchange for independence in 1968.
The islands have become a strategic asset for both the US and the UK, home to a joint military base on Diego Garcia, one of the larger islands. Serving as a key Western outpost in the Indian Ocean, the base played a significant role during the Cold War.
In 2019, Mauritius took the UK to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), asking for the return of the islands. In its advisory opinion, the ICJ agreed with Mauritius, ruling that the UK should cede control “as rapidly as possible.”
Trump to travel to UK
King Charles III, the British monarch, sent a letter to Trump, hand-delivered by Starmer, inviting the US president for a state visit to Windsor Castle. Trump, well known for his love of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the UK Royal Family, said that the US accepted the invitation.