Starmer stands up to Trump for the first time to defend Greenland

LondonDowning Street's appeasement of Donald Trump has thus far proven not only a failure but also a continuous humiliation. Keir Starmer believed that by fawning over the US president, even making him appear King Charles III almost like a servant For his enjoyment, it might contain the Republican's most authoritarian instincts. Nothing could be further from the truth.

And yet, despite the "pragmatism" that, according to the British Prime Minister, governs London's policy in its relationship with the White House, Starmer has said enough. Or almost enough. And he has stood firm against Trump's threats to annex Greenland, "by hook or by crook." In an extraordinary appearance this Monday at Downing Street, the head of government reiterated that "there is one principle that cannot be ignored, because it is at the heart of the functioning of stable and trustworthy international cooperation: any decision on the future status of Greenland belongs exclusively to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. This is a fundamental right, and we..."

Starmer, as he has done in the last forty-eight hours, has also called the White House's announced imposition of tariffs on the seven countries—six of which are from the European Union, plus the United Kingdom—that oppose them, misguided. "Alliances [referring to NATO] endure because they are based on respect and cooperation, not pressure. That is why I have said that the use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong."

But the pragmatism exhibited by Starmer, in the best British tradition, clashes with Donald Trump's desire to be an agent of chaos. Therefore, the language of premier It may sound somewhat naive when he said: "I speak regularly with President Trump… and mature alliances are not about pretending there are no differences, but about addressing them directly, respectfully, and with the aim of achieving results." And regarding Greenland, "the right way to deal with an issue of this gravity is through calm dialogue between allies." Offering a field for compromise, he also stated: "Let's be clear: Greenland's security is important, and it will be even more so as climate change transforms the Arctic, shipping routes open up, and strategic competition intensifies. A stronger Atlantic." Starmer acknowledged that "the United States will be central to this effort," and offered the UK's cooperation to "contribute fully alongside its allies through NATO." Caution and de-escalation

The immediate question is whether the language of rationality and the best British diplomatic tradition will help Starmer temper Donald Trump? In any case, and with the intention of not escalating the crisis, the premier He has ruled out imposing tariffs as retaliation, at least for the time being. Showing extreme caution to avoid confrontational language, he reiterated that "a tariff war is not in anyone's interest, and we have not yet reached that stage. My goal is to prevent it, and that is what I am doing right now."

Over the weekend, the Prime Minister spoke with Trump, various European allies, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to try to find a negotiated solution to the current crisis. premierFurthermore, he has ruled out "opting for spectacle [and launching] an angry message on social media or a grandiose display that substitutes for serious work." In this regard, the Prime Minister has not even commented on the possibility of vetoing King Charles III's presence in Washington next summer for the events commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, as many journalists have requested.

One of the common slogans touted by London is "the special relationship" that has united the United States and the United Kingdom since World War II. But it is a relationship of dependency. Starmer has also referred to this, with words that seemed to ignore all the actions of the Trump administration to undermine the alliance. in addition to destroying the European Union"The United States remains a close ally in defense, security, and intelligence, as well as in nuclear capabilities. We have worked very closely with the United States, and we must never lose sight of our national interest in this relationship. We must remember at all times that it is in our national interest to continue working with the Americans on defense, security, and intelligence."

This dependence has led him to recall, as is beginning to be discussed in many European capitals, the need for strategic autonomy for the continent in military matters. "I have argued—and this is not the first time I have done so today—and I have spoken with allies and European leaders about the need for Europe to step forward and assume greater responsibility for its own defense and security." For many years, he emphasized, "we have not paid enough attention to what European nations can and should do for our own defense, which reinforces the importance of the progress we are making in this area."

Playing it safe – with excessive and unjustified praise for Trump's actions in Gaza and Ukraine – as usual with their American friend, Keir Starmer's appearance was yet another exercise in tightrope walking to avoid breaking with Washington and with the practice of Washington, Washington, and the global Washington system. It was the most expected outcome, and imagining words like those of Macron – who spoke this weekend about the possibility of using a "bazooka" response of tariffs – seemed completely unrealistic. As is what Starmer said about the aforementioned ties with the United States, since "the special relationship" is not under the control of either Downing Street or Whitehall. Perhaps, in fact, it no longer exists, even if London doesn't want to admit it.