Rob Watson

And in return, of course, Sakhir Starmer and other European leaders want Donald Trump to think again about the wisdom of doing a quick deal with President Putin. And of course, they want him to continue to support Ukraine. I thought the tone was fascinating in the sense that he continued to stress on several occasions the importance of the UK's relationship with the United States.

Indeed, he said at one point that he hoped to deepen it after seeing President Trump. And what I take from that is this idea, and it doesn't just apply to Keir Starmer, but I think to other European leaders, that they're hoping upon hope upon hope, despite the signals, that somehow they can salvage that post-1945,

Indeed, he said at one point that he hoped to deepen it after seeing President Trump. And what I take from that is this idea, and it doesn't just apply to Keir Starmer, but I think to other European leaders, that they're hoping upon hope upon hope, despite the signals, that somehow they can salvage that post-1945,

transatlantic alliance between the United States and European countries, which has essentially dominated European and world security since the end of World War Two. In other words, they haven't given up on it. They don't want to confront Donald Trump. They want to try and somehow, how could I put this, sort of soothe him to persuade him rather than to just give up and say, right, it's all over.

transatlantic alliance between the United States and European countries, which has essentially dominated European and world security since the end of World War Two. In other words, they haven't given up on it. They don't want to confront Donald Trump. They want to try and somehow, how could I put this, sort of soothe him to persuade him rather than to just give up and say, right, it's all over.

The world has changed.

The world has changed.

It will certainly make some difference, Oliver, but I mean clearly ever since the end of the Cold War, at the end of the 1980s, the UK has been spending less and less and its armed forces getting more and more hollowed out. So will it make a difference? Yes. Will it transform them? That's unlikely.

It will certainly make some difference, Oliver, but I mean clearly ever since the end of the Cold War, at the end of the 1980s, the UK has been spending less and less and its armed forces getting more and more hollowed out. So will it make a difference? Yes. Will it transform them? That's unlikely.

Again, that will be profoundly regretted by the British government, but also those on the receiving end. And as Sakhir Starmer made clear, it's just not something...

Again, that will be profoundly regretted by the British government, but also those on the receiving end. And as Sakhir Starmer made clear, it's just not something...

In an ideal world that Britain would do, but given that it doesn't want to increase taxes, given that economic growth here is utterly sclerotic, and because of pressure on other spending areas, he sort of takes the view that he didn't have much choice.

In an ideal world that Britain would do, but given that it doesn't want to increase taxes, given that economic growth here is utterly sclerotic, and because of pressure on other spending areas, he sort of takes the view that he didn't have much choice.

It will, and I don't think it's any great secret, Oliver, is it, that there is timing involved. in all of this. I mean, this is a big statement from Keir Starmer and I think it has a couple of purposes. The first is, before he gets to the White House to say to Donald Trump, hey, look, we are serious, we get that you want the Europeans to spend more on defence.

It will, and I don't think it's any great secret, Oliver, is it, that there is timing involved. in all of this. I mean, this is a big statement from Keir Starmer and I think it has a couple of purposes. The first is, before he gets to the White House to say to Donald Trump, hey, look, we are serious, we get that you want the Europeans to spend more on defence.

I think the second element is that it was interesting that he's clearly not looking for a row with Donald Trump, despite all the provocations, all the divisions over Ukraine. Some of the truly sort of shocking statements as Western Europe would see it over Ukraine and Putin Keir Starmer nimmt die Meinung, dass die Beziehung mit den USA wichtig ist. Das ist der zweite Teil.

I think the second element is that it was interesting that he's clearly not looking for a row with Donald Trump, despite all the provocations, all the divisions over Ukraine. Some of the truly sort of shocking statements as Western Europe would see it over Ukraine and Putin Keir Starmer nimmt die Meinung, dass die Beziehung mit den USA wichtig ist. Das ist der zweite Teil.

Aber der dritte Teil ist, dass er seinen Betten hängt und sagt, ja, wir wollen nicht zwischen den USA und Europa wählen, aber wir werden mehr auf die Verteidigung investieren. Wir werden unsere Sicherheitsbeziehungen mit Europa stärken. Das ist ein großer Moment. Das ist die UK, die irgendwie hofft, dass das Post-1945-Order,

Aber der dritte Teil ist, dass er seinen Betten hängt und sagt, ja, wir wollen nicht zwischen den USA und Europa wählen, aber wir werden mehr auf die Verteidigung investieren. Wir werden unsere Sicherheitsbeziehungen mit Europa stärken. Das ist ein großer Moment. Das ist die UK, die irgendwie hofft, dass das Post-1945-Order,

with the US-UK relationship and NATO at the heart of it, can somehow still be salvaged.