Donald Trump and Keir Starmer: When is the Washington meeting and what will the US and UK leaders discuss?

Sir Keir Starmer is heading to the US for what may be the most important meeting of his life.

His meeting with Donald Trump is not just about US-UK relations, but the future of Europe and the fate of Ukraine. The Prime Minister goes as the defacto EU representative, and after the US president called Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator”, the stakes have never been higher. Here’s what you need to know.

Keir Starmer is on his way to Washington | House of Commons/PA Wire

When is the meeting taking place?

Thursday

Where will the meeting take place?

The White House in Washington.

Will there be a press conference between Keir Starmer and Donald Trump?

Yes. A press conference will take place at 7pm, UK time. Mr Trump also held one with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, this week.

What will be the key topics discussed and what does it mean?

When Sir Keir meets Donald Trump, it will be the most high-stakes encounter between a British and US leader for decades. Former prime ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson both met with Mr Trump, but neither in a scenario so fraught.

Donald Trump is said to agree with the last person he spoke to, which should give Keir Starmer at least a window of opportunity to influence him (Picture: Ting Shen) | AFP via Getty Images

The Labour leader arrives needing to both push Mr Trump on Ukraine, but also not alienate him, a tricky balancing act with a president who defies the normal conventions of diplomacy. As the Ukrainian leader found to his detriment, speaking truth to Mr Trump is a risky business.

The number one issue is obviously Ukraine. The UK government wants to continue ramping up support to Ukraine and put the country in a good position for peace talks. In contrast, the US president has repeatedly inflated the amount of US support given, said Ukraine has “zero cards” and called Kyiv’s leader a “dictator”.

Sir Keir must bring Mr Trump around to his point of view, or at least show the financial and political benefits of siding with Ukraine. The Labour leader made a pointed effort of contracting these statements by Mr Trump both in the immediate aftermath and at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday. It is notable senior Republicans have been hesitant to repeat Mr Trump’s comments.

The most important aspect of this is ensuring Ukraine is directly involved in the negotiations over a possible ceasefire. So far excluded, Mr Trump has gone over the head of Ukraine officials, in a move that sent shockwaves through Europe.

Another key issue will be what role the US plays in ensuring a ceasefire or peace deal lasts. The US president has ruled out a peacekeeping force, something Russia has said it would not accept, but could still be brought round.

Sir Keir’s greatest weapon in the talks will undoubtedly be the freshly announced boost to defence spending. Mr Trump has repeatedly demanded Europe spend more on defence, and Sir Keir has led the way in doing so. It allows the Prime Minister to show Britain is serious about its responsibilities, recognises the US contribution and is willing to lead the rest of Europe in boosting defence spending.

The announcement came after secret talks with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, with most of the Cabinet excluded. Even the French President, who has worked closely with Sir Keir on a strategy, did not know about the announcement beforehand. It shows Britain is doing its part, and also suggests the Labour government is relentlessly on message.

There could also be issues around the exact figure defence spending is being increased by. Defence Secretary John Healey claimed it was both £6 billion and £13.4bn. The Prime Minister says this is about different financial years, but the line will need tidying up ahead of the meeting.

While some see the defence spending increase purely as an announcement for Thursday, MPs insist this is not just a figure for the meeting, but represents a fundamental reset of how the UK approaches defence. This increase in spending is also aimed at hopes to boost US support for Nato, showing other countries are willing to pay their way. In a deviation from France, Sir Keir has also argued the UK does not have to “choose between the US and our European partners”. Speaking at PMQs, he sought to reiterate ties to the US, rather than concede they were fractured.

The tone of Sir Keir’s meeting will also be key. When Mr Macron visited earlier this week, he made a point to refer to “dear Donald”, and praised a dinner the pair enjoyed together in Paris. Flattering Mr Trump seems to be a crucial part of engaging with him. Even when the US president made a false statement, Mr Macron put his hand on his arm and corrected him while smiling.

There may be lessons on how to handle US President Donald Trump from French President Emmanuel Macron | AP

Another key topic will be the subject of tariffs, something the UK has so far avoided. Mr Trump has threatened tariffs against numerous countries and now said he views VAT as a form of tariff, which could see a 20 per cent levy on imports from the UK.

Sir Keir will want to avoid the details of economic policy, but preventing tariffs is vital to British businesses, as well as the economy. To avoid this, he may appeal to Mr Trump’s Scottish heritage and stress the impact such tariffs would have. Mr Trump visits Scotland, has businesses in Scotland and his personal links could be a way out.

The final cause for concern is the issue of the Chagos Islands. The deal to give up British sovereignty is on hold and several Trump allies have called for the deal to be cancelled.

Rather than making the case for why it should proceed, the Prime Minister will hope it simply doesn’t come up. The issue has been raised constantly by the Tories, and the Prime Minister does not need another Trump headache.