UK鈥檚 Starmer seeks strong trade relations with the US in the wake of Trump鈥檚 tariffs

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer waits for Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz to arrive at the Chequers, in Aylesbury, England, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. (AP)
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  • The UK left the EU in 2020, following a referendum in 2016. Trump, who supported the Leave side in the Brexit vote, has not yet said whether he plans to target the UK with tariffs

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Sunday that he would seek a strong trade relationship with the US after President Donald Trump suggested he would slap Europe with tariffs after he hit America鈥檚 biggest trading partners 鈥� Canada, Mexico and China 鈥� with import taxes.
Starmer spoke to reporters while hosting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at his country estate on the eve of a mission to improve relations with the European Union.
鈥淚n the discussions that I have had with President Trump, that is what we have centered on, a strong trading relationship,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o it is very early days.鈥�
Canada and Mexico ordered retaliatory tariffs in response to Trump鈥檚 announcement that the US on Tuesday will stick a 25 percent levy on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10 percent on goods from China. Trump said he 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� plans to impose tariffs on the EU.
The UK left the EU in 2020, following a referendum in 2016. Trump, who supported the Leave side in the Brexit vote, has not yet said whether he plans to target the UK with tariffs.
The tit-for-tat tariffs have triggered fears of a global trade war.
鈥淭ariff increases really right across the world can have a really damaging impact on global growth and trade, so I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 what anybody wants to see,鈥� British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC.
Starmer is heading to Belgium to meet with EU chiefs Monday, where the UK leader is aiming for a relationship 鈥渞eset鈥�.
While ruling out rejoining the EU trade bloc five years after Brexit, Starmer said he wants to forge a closer relationship on defense, energy and trade.
鈥淚 think that is certainly in the UK鈥檚 best interest, I do believe it鈥檚 in the EU鈥檚 best interest, and already I hope that in the last seven months there鈥檚 been a manifest difference in approach, tone and relationship,鈥� he said.
Starmer hosted Scholz at Chequers, the prime minister鈥檚 country residence in Buckinghamshire 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of London, where the two leaders discussed Ukraine and the Middle East, according to a Starmer spokesperson.
The prime minister spoke of their common approach to 鈥渒ey issues and challenges,鈥� including their shared commitment to Kyiv as the war with Russia enters its fourth year this month.
The two agreed that Russia鈥檚 invasion had emphasized the need to beef up and coordinate defense production across Ukraine, according to a readout of the meeting from a Starmer spokesperson. The UK and Germany signed a defense pact in October, described by officials as the first of its kind between two NATO member countries, to boost European security amid rising Russian aggression.
The British government鈥檚 strategic defense review later this year will include lessons learned in Ukraine and the need to outmaneuver Russian President Vladimir Putin鈥檚 hostile acts across the continent, Starmer said.
Starmer thanked Scholz for visiting in the middle of a difficult re-election campaign. Scholz鈥檚 center-left Social Democrats are lagging in the polls behind the center-right Christian Democratic Union and the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, with three weeks to go before the Feb. 23 vote.
鈥淲hen I started as prime minister seven months ago now, I was determined to strengthen the relationship between our two countries 鈥� already very good, but I thought it could be stronger on a number of fronts,鈥� said Starmer, leader of the center-left Labour Party. 鈥淎nd thanks to your leadership, I think we鈥檝e made real progress.鈥�
Scholz said the visit that included a walk around the grounds of the estate and a lunch was a 鈥済ood sign of the very good relations between our two countries, and indeed between the two of us.鈥�