Key facts
- Keir Starmer and Donald Trump agreed to stay in touch after Trump leaves office.
- The agreement was reached during a meeting at the NATO summit in Ankara.
- Starmer stated that he and Trump had a positive relationship as individuals.
- Trump repeated criticisms of the UK's response to the conflict.
- Starmer declined to comment on Trump's recent criticisms.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated he will maintain contact with US President Donald Trump after Trump concludes his term, despite recent tensions and disagreements. The commitment was made during a meeting at the NATO summit in Ankara.
Starmer described his relationship with Trump as positive on an individual level, emphasizing the importance of a working relationship between political leaders for the strategic alliance between the UK and US. He noted that despite Trump's criticisms, including calling the UK a "deindustrialised welfare zone," they "got along really well" over the longer term.
At the summit, Trump reportedly thanked the UK for its contributions to NATO, placing it second among members over the past decade in real terms for material support, though 12th out of 32 in spending as a proportion of GDP. Starmer, however, declined to engage with Trump's recent criticisms, stating his focus was on the UK's improved international standing under his leadership.