Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain should be cancelled following his White House tirade against Ukrainian leader President Zelensky, Keir Starmer was told today. Senior figures said Trump’s “bullying” meant he was unfit to meet the King.
It comes as Ukraine’s President will be hosted by the King at Sandringham today, as he joins leaders from across Europe for a London summit designed to find a way to end the war in Ukraine. Sir Keir handed President Trump an invitation from King Charles to come to the UK for a second historic state visit, when the Prime Minister visited Washington last week.
But it was followed by a disastrous visit by President Zelensky, when Mr Trump and his vice-president JD Vance ganged up on the wartime leader and claimed he was “disrespectful” for pointing out that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had broken previous peace deals.
Shadow home affairs minister Alicia Kearns last night said: “State visits should be conferred to the most honourable of allies, not to curry favour.
“No state visit should proceed until the steadfastness of the US’s commitment to her allies is assured. His Majesty should not have to carry the weight of Keir’s diplomatic failings.”
Former Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood said: “It would be inappropriate to place the King in the position of hosting the President if US foreign policy shifts away from its long-standing support for Ukraine and toward alignment with Russia’s security objectives.”
Ex-MI6 head Richard Dearlove said: “They don’t have to arrange the state visit straight away. They have got to let the dust settle.”
However, Sir Keir is determined to keep the alliance with the US alive and still hopes that Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky can be persuaded to work together.
A source close to the US administration, however, issued a veiled threat to the UK. A Trump source told a Sunday newspaper that recalling the invitation would be “very unwise unless the UK wants to undo all the goodwill generated by the Prime Minister’s trip”.
