UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the need to support Ukraine during a phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump on the 18th (local time).
According to the UK Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Starmer once again stressed to President-elect Trump the necessity for allied countries to stand with Ukraine against Russia's invasion and to ensure Ukraine secures the strongest possible position. He also conveyed the stance that cooperation is needed to guarantee peace and security in the Middle East region.
President-elect Trump, who is set to take office in January next year, has expressed skepticism about the prolonged support for Ukraine and has advocated for negotiations to end the war. On the other hand, Prime Minister Starmer is one of the figures who has persuaded the Joe Biden administration to enable Ukraine to strike Russian territory with long-range missiles supported by the UK and the US.
The UK Prime Minister's Office stated that Prime Minister Starmer and President-elect Trump "agreed on a shared ambition to strengthen the close and historic UK-US relationship" and "looked forward to cooperation on shared priorities including international security, economic growth, and prosperity." They also added that they hope the two will meet as soon as possible. UK media, including iNews, reported that Starmer could visit the US as early as February next year.
This call between the two was the second since President-elect Trump's victory in last month's US presidential election. Prime Minister Starmer began the call by congratulating President-elect Trump on his cabinet appointments. In response, President-elect Trump mentioned his meeting with Prince William in Paris earlier this month.
Major foreign media outlets, including Politico, also noted that the call came shortly after Starmer's political rival, Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Reform Party, visited Mar-a-Lago Resort and met with Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who has emerged as a key figure in the upcoming Trump administration. Farage, known for his right-wing populist stance, is often called the "Trump of the UK." Subsequently, Farage revealed in a Telegraph op-ed that Musk, an American, is seriously considering donating to the UK Reform Party.
In this context, the UK Electoral Commission stated that the Starmer cabinet needs to strengthen rules on political donations to protect the election system from foreign interference. The Guardian reported, "Amid growing concerns over Musk's donations to the UK Reform Party, such measures are being discussed," noting that this could set limits on the amount Musk can donate through X (formerly Twitter)'s UK branch. However, the outlet added that legislation would be required, making it unlikely to be implemented before 2026.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
