In their first encounter since their disagreement over the Iran war, Keir Starmer and Donald Trump seem to have reconciled their strained relationship. During the G7 summit, the UK Prime Minister described his talks with the US President as “very productive” and highlighted their strong rapport. Starmer mentioned that they had engaging discussions during a two-hour dinner and continued to have constant conversations throughout the summit in Évian-les-Bains, France.
Their relationship had soured when Starmer expressed disapproval of US-Israel strikes on Iran back in February. Despite not having a scheduled one-on-one meeting, Starmer clarified that he had spent significant time with Trump, including a lengthy phone call over the weekend and ongoing discussions during the summit sessions. Notably, their recent 20-minute call, centered on the President’s Birthday UFC fight, was longer than usual.
Earlier this year, Trump had made critical remarks about Starmer, questioning his leadership compared to Winston Churchill and disparaging UK military capabilities. Starmer had demanded an apology from Trump for insulting British troops in Afghanistan, further straining their interactions. However, at the current G7 summit, their conversations have been described as positive and productive.
During the summit, Starmer aimed to shift focus from recent domestic challenges regarding defense spending disagreements. The G7 leaders, including Volodymyr Zelensky, engaged in discussions regarding Ukraine, with Starmer noting a noticeable shift in unity and support for Ukraine’s territorial advancements and the impact of sanctions on Russia.
In a show of strength against Vladimir Putin’s regime, Starmer announced 70 new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, military supply chains, and illicit financial networks. These measures aim to disrupt Russia’s aggressive actions and bolster the UK’s stance against Putin’s government.