It is no secret that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump are a mile apart in both their political ideals and policies. And on the Ukraine issue, Trump stands totally at odds with not just Starmer but also the rest of Europe.
Starmer stepping up or backing down?
In early March, Starmer hosted a mini-European summit in London, asserting that Ukraine can depend on the UK’s “unwavering support” at this “once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe”. Meanwhile, Trump made it clear in his first cabinet meeting that there would be no significant US security guarantee for Ukraine.
But despite their vastly differing approaches to alliances and their political positions, Starmer appears keen to maintain the “special relationship“, which has characterised UK-US affairs since the end of the Second World War.
Indeed, following the disastrous Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on 28 February, Starmer preferred to take the role of a pragmatic mediator rather than call out Trump’s absurd claim that Zelensky is a “dictator without elections” who “tricked” the US into spending billions of dollars in military aid. The PM held that it was better to try to “get both sides back on the same page” than “come out critically with flowery adjectives to describe how others felt”.
Trouble in paradise
The PM has recently faced a wave of criticism regarding his notably submissive approach to Trump’s extreme use of Presidential power. Just last week, leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, called for Starmer to be braver in challenging the President’s actions and described the PM’s approach to Trump as “the bully who doesn’t notice them” behaviour.
And it’s not just politicians from other parties demanding a harder approach to Trump. He has faced internal opposition from 38 Labour MPs and four Labour peers who urged the current Cabinet to outwardly condemn Trump’s Gaza “ethnic cleansing” plan.
So why is Starmer seemingly so reluctant to call out Trump’s behaviour, particularly regarding Ukraine? Professor Michael Cox, from the London School of Economics, questioned whether Starmer’s approach was simply a denial of the new International Order Trump is creating.
However, beneath the surface, Starmer faces a dilemma between balancing security, economic interests, and international standing in a way which serves the nation, which may partially explain his notably soft stance on Trump. The problem is, at the moment, Starmer is failing to navigate the dilemma suitably, and is silently contradicting himself.
Striking a balance
This is not to say that it is an easy balance. The UK’s absence as a member of the EU places them in somewhat of a middle-man position when it comes to negotiating a peace plan, and necessitates collaboration with other key western allies outside of the EU, like the US However, Starmer has taken too soft an approach towards Trump’s notable Russian sympathy.
The Trump administration has already shown glimpses of Russian favouritism. In early February, the Kremlin praised the President for sympathising with Russia’s concerns over Ukraine joining NATO, a move which would greater protect Ukraine from Russia’s expansionist ambitions.
Furthermore, the US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who leads ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, stated in an interview with pro-Trump media personality Tucker Carlson that he “liked” the Russian president and that he was “super smart”. Starmer also hailed his “good relationship” with Trump just hours before Witkoff slammed the PM’s Ukraine peace plan as a “posture and a pose”.
Meanwhile, Starmer has been a vocal critic of Putin for “playing games” over the peace deal, and has united with the “coalition of the willing” (31 countries pledging strengthened support for Ukraine against Russian aggression), calling for an increase in Western sanctions.
Therefore, it seems contradictory and inconsistent for Starmer to praise his relationship with Trump, who is clearly showing Russian sympathies, and refuse to stand up to Trump’s misleading comments about Zelensky, whilst also simultaneously criticising Putin’s dangerous games and increasing pressure on the Russian leader.
Moreover, an Ipsos poll showed that the vast majority of the British public still stood by Ukraine and supported sanctions against Russia, and that half of Britons said that Trump’s election victory made them feel more concerned about the situation in Ukraine. The national interest hence also begs for Starmer to take a clearer stand against Trump’s tactics.
Therefore, Starmer should prioritise securing a peace deal in both the interests of Ukraine, and the British public. His claim of unwavering support for a Ukrainian peace deal will only be realised if he halts his soft-power approach to Trump, and properly holds to account the US’s Russia-sympathetic stance on the conflict.
