"Sir Keir Starmer's plan for 2026 was to talk more about the domestic issues that concern British voters. Donald Trump knocked that plan off course. US intervention in Venezuela inevitably demanded the prime minister's attention, as did this week's summit of Ukraine's allies, the coalition of the willing, in Paris. Progress towards agreeing security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a peace deal with Russia was overshadowed by Mr Trump restating his ambition to wrest control of Greenland from Denmark."
"Mr Trump's return to the White House guaranteed that an already uncertain international climate would become increasingly volatile. Any hope that the incoming president's rhetoric contained more bluster than intent was dashed when he announced his liberation day tariffs. He sees no value in America's historic alliances. He despises institutions of multilateral governance. His actions may not be wholly predictable, but it is safe to assume he means what he says."
Sir Keir Starmer planned to focus on domestic issues for 2026 but was forced to address multiple foreign crises. US intervention in Venezuela and a summit in Paris on security guarantees for Kyiv demanded attention. Donald Trump's rhetoric and policies, including liberation day tariffs and ambitions over Greenland, intensified global unpredictability. Trump's disdain for alliances and multilateral institutions suggests the US may prioritize bilateral client relationships over collective European power. That posture leaves Brexit Britain economically detached from the EU while still dependent on it for trade and uncertain about reliance on the US for security. The combination creates a strategic bind for the UK.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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