Threat of Trump trade war looms over Starmer’s meeting with EU leaders

Sir Keir Starmer’s gathering with EU chiefs threatens to beryllium overshadowed by the menace of an planetary commercialized warfare arsenic countries deed by Donald Trump’s tariffs vow retaliation.

The Prime Minister volition impulse Europe to carnivore down connected Vladimir Putin’s Russia erstwhile helium meets the heads of the 27 EU governments connected Monday, arsenic helium continues efforts to reset Britain’s narration with the commercialized bloc.

But the gathering, meant to absorption connected defence co-operation, is apt to beryllium preoccupied with quality from crossed the Atlantic.

The US president has announced helium volition enforce 25% commercialized taxes connected goods coming from America’s nearest neighbours and largest commercialized partners – Canada and Mexico – arsenic good arsenic a 10% levy connected Chinese goods.

All 3 nations person vowed to respond successful benignant to Mr Trump’s actions, sparking fears of a planetary commercialized war.

Sir Keir volition impulse EU countries to enarthrosis much of the load of assistance for Ukraine astatine the gathering successful Belgium.

He volition telephone connected them to travel UK and US sanctions connected Russia’s faltering system and praise Mr Trump’s menace of further restrictions, which helium volition assertion has “rattled” President Putin.

The Prime Minister volition besides conscionable Nato caput wide Mark Rutte astatine the alliance’s office successful Brussels.

“I’m present to enactment with our European partners connected keeping up the pressure, targeting the vigor revenues and the companies supplying his rocket factories to crush Putin’s warfare machine,” Sir Keir said.

“Because ultimately, alongside our subject support, that is what volition bring bid closer.”

EU officials person started drafting up contingency plans for the menace of US tariffs, and representatives of the bloc are bullish astir the imaginable of a face-off with America, the Telegraph reported.

But Sir Keir was much cautious erstwhile asked astir Mr Trump’s actions, telling reporters connected Sunday: “It is aboriginal days. What I privation to spot is beardown trading relations.”

The Prime Minister added: “In the discussions that I person had with President Trump, that is what we person centred on, a beardown trading relationship.”

The Liberal Democrats urged Sir Keir to commencement talks for a customs national with the EU arsenic a bulwark against aboriginal American tariffs.

The way towards a woody could commencement with the UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) Convention, an statement which allows for tariff-free question of immoderate goods crossed the continent, Lib Dem person Sir Ed Davey said.

A afloat EU-UK customs national could beryllium reached “at the latest by 2030”, helium added.

Rejoining the customs national and azygous marketplace are some “red lines” for the Labour Government, which is committed not to breach successful its predetermination manifesto.

The Prime Minister said Brexit was “settled”, and helium was focusing connected “a person narration connected defence and security, connected energy, connected commercialized and our economy”.

Shadow concern caput Andrew Griffith told Sky News that Sir Keir “should beryllium rediverting his plane” to Washington DC, arsenic the UK already had a commercialized woody with the EU, but not with America.

The Conservatives person acceptable the Prime Minister 5 “tests” implicit his attack to Brexit, and assertion that if helium fails to conscionable them it volition beryllium helium is consenting to “undo” the colony the Tories reached portion successful power.

Among the commitments the Tories demanded are for the UK to person continued freedoms implicit negotiating commercialized deals, and power of its borders extracurricular the azygous market.

Ministers person antecedently said they bash not judge the US volition enforce tariffs connected the UK arsenic it does not person a commercialized shortage with Britain.

Sir Keir has antecedently insisted the UK does not request to marque a prime betwixt person ties with Europe oregon the US.