Boris Johnson tried it before, but it didn’t work out: the populist politician’s “vision” of leading “Global Britain” in the post-Brexit era turned out to be a chimera. Now, Keir Starmer is trying it – under different circumstances and with a different goal. Will he succeed?
Taking advantage of the explosive international situation, the British prime minister (who is described as “lukewarm” and “small” at home) is attempting to emerge as a leading figure on a global scale, promoting a dynamic, multi-layered foreign policy agenda based on three pillars: strengthening his country’s relations with the United States, supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, and upgrading Britain’s cooperation with the European Union.
The succession of recent events has temporarily put Starmer in a much more advantageous position than even he could have imagined: he appears at the same time as Trump’s privileged interlocutor, the main mediator between the US and Zelensky, and a bridge builder between Europe and Washington. But situations change day by day and what the current situation shows can hardly last.
The Summit
Last Sunday, Starmer hosted a summit in London with European leaders (but not Kyriakos Mitsotakis), during which he stressed Europe’s responsibility to support Ukraine, warning that the Old Continent is at a “crossroads of history” and that it “must act decisively.”
The UK and France have pledged to lead an “alliance of the willing” to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities, including £1.6bn in export financing and the possibility of Kiev acquiring anti-aircraft missiles. A month-long ceasefire in Ukraine is being proposed to assess Russia’s intentions and lay the groundwork for a comprehensive peace deal.
However, the implementation of the controversial plan requires practical support from the other side of the Atlantic, as American guarantees are considered essential for achieving lasting peace. Starmer sets a parallel priority on closer rapprochement with the US and has set out to build a personal relationship with Donald Trump, despite their abysmal ideological differences.
Their recent meeting at the White House, in which the British prime minister handed the American president a handwritten invitation from King Charles III for a second state visit to Old Albion, demonstrates the British prime minister’s will to ensure that the famous “special relationship” between the two countries continues to exist.
Starmer is not interested in achieving ideological or political alignment with Trump, but in exercising a well-calculated, results-oriented diplomacy: he focuses on practical issues, such as trade relations, security guarantees for Ukraine, and preventing the imposition of punitive tariffs.
Trump, for his part, has begun to… like his English interlocutor (whom he once called “very left-wing”), complimenting him on his “beautiful accent.”
Resetting relations with the EU
The British leader is trying to establish a leading role for Britain on the international political stage. At the same time, he is investing heavily in restarting his country’s relationship with the European Union and reviewing bilateral cooperation in areas such as defense, energy security, science and technology.
In May, Starmer will host the UK’s first summit with the EU, which he sees as an opportunity to strengthen EU-UK cooperation on a wide range of issues: from migrants crossing the Channel to vegetable imports. He believes, in fact, that he can forge closer ties with both America and the EU and envisions Britain as a “bridge” between the US and the eurozone.
The Labour leader is doing everything he can to improve his image both abroad and at home, where – according to a YouGov poll – 52% of his compatriots consider him “incompetent”.
However, his strategy is high-risk. “I think that Starmer’s three goals for Britain – maintaining the special relationship with the US, strengthening Ukraine and rapprochement with the EU – are not only difficult to achieve on their own, but also contradictory.
As we saw last week, developments are being driven by Trump’s actions and outbursts. It is difficult to imagine how Starmer will be able to maintain his skillful position in the next outburst of the American president. One of the three goals will have to give way and, if I had to bet, I would say that what Britain will ultimately sacrifice will be its relationship with Europe.
