GB News delivered a breaking news update as a tense exchange with Donald Trump over Ukraine’s future unfolded
GB News interrupted programming this afternoon to report urgent updates from Washington. Hosts Emily Carver and Tom Harwood explained how Sir Keir Starmer was publicly humiliated by Donald Trump ahead of Monday’s tense summit over Ukraine’s future. The Prime Minister confronted the US President after Trump claimed that Ukraine could end the war with Russia “almost immediately” if it agreed to abandon its ambitions of joining NATO.
However, Starmer firmly rejected this idea, insisting that Kyiv has the “sovereign right” to join both NATO and the European Union, regardless of Moscow’s threats. “Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to the EU or NATO,” the Prime Minister’s spokesman stated clearly. The clash marked the first visible tension in what had so far seemed a cordial relationship between the Labour leader and President Trump. During a recent visit to Scotland, Trump described Starmer as a “friend” and avoided criticising the Labour leader.
Trump met with Starmer this afternoon. (Image: Getty)
The pair have enjoyed a cordial relationship thus far. (Image: Getty)
But that cordiality quickly disappeared in Washington, as Trump bluntly dismissed NATO expansion live on camera just hours before the crucial White House talks, leaving Starmer on the back foot.
This comes just weeks after the Prime Minister was forced into an uncomfortable corner when Trump launched a scathing attack on his pal, Sadiq Khan. Keen to avoid a rift, Starmer defended Khan but stopped short of calling out the President directly.
In the last few hours, the PM has touched down in Washington to join the White House summit, which will be a landmark moment. The UK government hopes President Zelensky will carefully listen to and consider what Trump is offering, and that Starmer will flesh out details of measures to protect and defend Ukraine in the event a peace deal is struck.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff’s recent endorsement of these proposed security guarantees as “game-changing” is seen as proof that months of work on Starmer and French President Macron’s coalition is finally paying off.
Many see Stamer’s role at the White House today as diplomatic. He has relationships with both Trump and Zelensky, making him a ‘bridge’ between the White House and European leaders.
As he flew to Washington, D.C., on Monday morning, the PM said in a video posted on X, “Everybody wants it to end, not least the Ukrainians. But we’ve got to get this right. We’ve got to make sure there is peace, that it is lasting peace, and that it is fair and that it is just.”
