Amid Trump’s call for ‘Russian aggression’, Starmer says ‘more can be done to protect the Arctic.’ world News
Sir Keir Starmer has said “more can be done to protect” the Arctic region and agreed with Donald Trump on “the need to stop increasingly aggressive Russia in the High North” during his second call in two days with the US president, Downing Street has said.
Amid a flurry of diplomatic activity, Sir Keir spoke to Mr Trump about “Euro-Atlantic security” amid fears the US president could use military force to annex Greenland. Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro captured,
Mr Trump has repeatedly said the US needs Greenland The largest island in the Arctic, because “Greenland is of great importance to the national security of the United States, Europe, and other parts of the free world.”
US officials say they may use “military means.” They are considering the possibility of “acquiring” the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
This is despite the fact that the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, warned that NATO will be in danger in the event of an American invasion of the region.
Sir Keir has previously said that the decision about Greenland-Denmark’s future must be built only by its people and Denmark.
He reiterated that view on Wednesday. Mr Trump and Downing Street sources described the call as “positive” and “friendly”.
But in a second conversation on Thursday, the two leaders discussed deterring Russia in the High North, which includes Greenland.
A Downing Street statement about the call said, “The leaders discussed Euro-Atlantic security and agreed on the need to deter increasingly aggressive Russia in the High North.
“European allies have stepped up recently to protect Euro-Atlantic interests, but much more can be done to protect the region,” the prime minister said.
“The leaders hope to speak again soon.”
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It came as Sir Keir also spoke to NATO chief Mark Rutte about the “High North.”.
In a statement from Downing Street about Sir Keir’s call with Mr Rutte, Number 10 said, “They agreed that more needs to be done to deter Russia in the High North and welcomed discussions on how allies can protect the region from growing Russian threats.”
Sir Keir also spoke to the Danish Prime Minister and reiterated his stance that the UK “stands” with Denmark.
Reuters reported that Sir Keir told Ms Frederiksen that Britain stood with Denmark in defence of Greenland, and the leaders also discussed Ukraine.
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In the past few days, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised Sir Keir for failing to speak to the US president after a US raid to capture Mr Maduro and the subsequent seizure of two oil tankers – one of which was carrying British forces – in the North Atlantic.
In a joint statement widely seen as a message to the US, Britain and European allies vowed earlier this week that they “will never stop protecting” Greenland’s territorial integrity.
Sir Keir has also faced pressure to rule out any US use of UK bases to support an attack on Greenland.
Sir Keir Starmer attends the Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris. Photo: Reuters
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Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was set to underline the closeness of the “special relationship” between the UK and US during a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Thursday.
Mr Lammy’s visit to the US marks the 250th anniversary of the US declaration of independence from Britain.
Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Mr Vance emphasised the importance of taking the US president’s remarks about Greenland seriously.
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“Greenland is really important not only to America’s missile defence but also to the missile defence of the world,” the vice president said.
We’re asking our European allies to take the security of that territory more seriously, because if they don’t, the US will have to intervene.
“I will leave the specifics of that decision to the President as we continue to engage in diplomacy with our European friends and all relevant parties on this topic.”
Danish and Greenlandic envoys to Washington have been involved in a furious effort over the past few days to urge key Trump administration officials to back off from Mr Trump’s call for the acquisition of the strategic island.
Denmark’s Ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Møller Sorensen, and Greenland’s chief representative in Washington, Jakob Isbosethsen, met with White House National Security Council officials on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.
Sky News understands the pair also met White House officials to better understand US policy on Greenland, but the sources declined to say who from the Trump administration took part in the discussions.
US officials have said military force was one option to achieve Mr Trump’s stated objective, while purchasing territory is another option, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Danish officials in Washington next week.
