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Starmer speaks to EU chiefs after bloc commits to boost European defence

07 Mar 2025 4 minute read
An ASRAAM missile on a truck as Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves visits RAF Northolt in north London – Image Dan Kitwood PA Media

Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to EU chiefs after the bloc committed to bolstering European defences in the face of reduced US security support.

The Prime Minister had a phone call with the leaders of Canada, Norway, Turkey and Iceland as well as European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Downing Street said it was primarily to provide an update on the EU Council meeting yesterday, during which the leaders of EU countries backed moves to free up hundreds of billions of euro for security.

Overnight, US President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty that America would come to the aid of other countries in the Nato alliance if they do not meet military spending targets.

The Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron have been seeking countries who would be willing to defend a peace deal to join a so-called “coalition of the willing”.

Targets

When asked on Thursday if he was making it US policy that America would not defend Nato countries that do not meet military spending targets, Mr Trump said: “Well, I think it’s common sense, right? If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them. No, I’m not going to defend them.”

Mr Trump also expressed uncertainty that Nato countries would come to America’s defence if asked.

Downing Street played down the comments, noting that Mr Trump had committed to Article 5 of Nato – that member nations come to the defence of other members who are attacked – when he met with Sir Keir last week.

Mr Trump has repeatedly talked about a need for Nato allies to “step up and pull their weight” when it comes to defence spending, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

“I don’t think from what the President said yesterday is any different to what he was saying in his first term in office, and indeed, what he pointed to is the fact that that position that he took in his first term has led to increased defence spending from Nato allies,” he said.

Earlier this week, Mr Trump paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, following his clash with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week.

However, negotiations between Kyiv and Washington appear to be getting back on track, as Mr Zelensky confirmed talks will take place in Saudi Arabia next week, after a Trump administration envoy previously said that they were in the works.

Downing Street said Mr Zelensky had provided a “good basis” for discussions in Riyadh next week after he set out some possible elements for the first stage of a peace deal and his readiness to move quickly.

Silence

Mr Zelensky reiterated on Friday that Russia must be forced to stop its attacks as a first step to peace, after Moscow bombarded Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight.

“And this is something that can be effectively monitored. Silence in the skies – banning the use of missiles, long-range drones and aerial bombs. And silence at sea – a real guarantee of normal navigation,” he posted on X.

“And what we’re also working to do is to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for when these talks do start.”

Officials from around 20 largely European and Commonwealth countries took part in talks on Wednesday about the so-called “coalition of the willing”, it is understood.

Not all the countries interested in the plan would necessarily provide troops to a peacekeeping force but they could potentially contribute in other ways.

Defence Secretary John Healey has been in Washington for talks with his American counterpart Pete Hegseth.


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Jeff
Jeff
1 day ago

Meanwhile US in talks with putin to lift sanctions on russia.

Why is 47 (farages best mate) not saying putin must have a regime change?

Eutelsat stepping up as well to try to take over from musksat before he turns that off.

Last edited 1 day ago by Jeff
Jeff
Jeff
1 day ago
Reply to  Jeff

Wow. Trump flipped Russia sanctions in hours.

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 day ago

‘When asked on Thursday if he was making it US policy that America would not defend Nato countries that do not meet military spending targets, Mr Trump said: “Well, I think it’s common sense, right? If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them. No, I’m not going to defend them.”’ Hard for me to say anything remotely positive about the utterly vile and ghoulish Trump, but I think that, for once, he has a legitimate argument here. Because it’s a simple fact that in the aftermath of the disintegration of the Soviet bloc over thirty years ago, European… Read more »

Jeff
Jeff
1 day ago
Reply to  John Ellis

Wait till you hear what territory he wants to redraw with Canada. Not so much 51st state at the moment (still a thing) but “I want that bit of land” from agreed borders what line he does not like on a map..

Trump is an idiot and in charge of a country. We cannot ever trust a country that does that.

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 day ago
Reply to  Jeff

Like you, presumably, I’ve also heard that today. The similarities between Putin in Moscow on Ukraine and Trump in Washington on Canada strike me as undeniable. So I wholly agree with the sentiment which you express in your final sentence.

Larry
Larry
1 day ago
Reply to  John Ellis

It’s more nuanced than “freeloading”. The US has traditionally paid more than everyone else for defence in part because they were responsible for the insecurity. No-one asked them to invade Iraq which made the world less safe. They’ve also been happy to pay more because they liked their status as Team America: World Police which wouldn’t be possible if everyone paid their fair share. It’s also been very important to their economy and internal politics because a lot of wealthy and influential Americans are only wealthy and influential thanks to their arms industry. That’s why the last thing they wanted… Read more »

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 day ago
Reply to  Larry

That’s why the last thing they wanted when the USSR collapsed was for Russia to become a friendly. They needed a bogeyman to keep that spending high.’

If you’re right, then, it’s surely odd that Trump should now be constructing a foreign policy which appears to be supportive of Putin’s agenda.

Larry
Larry
20 hours ago
Reply to  John Ellis

Trump isn’t business as usual.

John Ellis
John Ellis
8 hours ago
Reply to  Larry

That is absolutely for sure!

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 day ago

Is this a rehearsal for Musk’s funeral…

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