‘Strategic mistake’ to choose between US and Europe, Sir Keir says

It would be a “strategic mistake” to choose between the US and Europe, Sir Keir Starmer has said following Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland.

The Prime Minister dodged the question when asked if a US attack on the autonomous Danish territory would be the end of Nato, but said it was the most important military alliance in the world.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, he refused to choose between Washington and Europe and insisted the UK would keep working with Nato allies, including the US.

The White House has said the “US military is always an option” to achieve President Trump’s goal of taking over Greenland, which he wants for its strategic Arctic location and mineral resources.

Danish PM Mette Frederiksen has warned that such an act would be the end of the alliance.

Sir Keir was responding to questions from the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, who said: “Does he agree that if Trump does attack Greenland, it will be the end of Nato?

“Given that frightening possibility, does he accept that the UK needs to increase defence spending more quickly than currently planned and build new alliances with reliable nations?”

Sir Keir responded: “The future of Greenland is for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone.

“Of course, Nato is hugely important, the single most effective and important military alliance the world has ever known.

“He keeps encouraging me to sort of tug away at parts of Nato and to choose between Europe and the US. That would be a strategic mistake for our country.

“Yesterday, we were working with our Nato allies, including the US, our Nato ally, on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that will not happen without security guarantees from the coalition of the willing, backed by the United States.”

Sir Ed also accused the Prime Minister of “looking ridiculous” for refusing to say that the US president had broken international law over his actions in Venezuela.

The Lib Dem leader quoted Geoffrey Robertson KC – the founding head of Doughty Street Chambers, where Sir Keir was a member – who said the president’s actions were a breach of the United Nations Charter, and a crime of aggression.

Sir Keir responded there had been “plenty of things that Geoffrey and I have agreed and disagreed on” and reiterated that nobody would shed a tear for Maduro’s removal as the Venezuelan leader.

“The benchmark of all actions of all countries is, of course, international law, and it is for the US to justify its actions,” he added.