Ahead of a meeting with the US president, the prime minister said the UK and Europe “have to do more for our defence and security” as he prepares to outline a pathway to spending 2.5 per cent of Britain’s GDP on defence.
Asked whether the Prime Minister would promise Donald Trump that Britain will spend “much more” when he meets the US President next week, Ms Phillipson told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Let’s be clear, 2.5 per cent is ambitious.
In a call ahead of his meeting with Mr Trump, Sir Keir also told Mr Zelensky Ukraine must be at the heart of any ongoing peace talks.
And, in an appeal to Mr Trump, who has so far ruled out playing an ongoing role in any peacekeeping force in Ukraine, the PM said America must be part of any security guarantee to stop Vladimir Putin from attacking Ukraine again.
The Washington meeting poses a major challenge for the PM, who wants to take a firm stance against Mr Trump’s attacks on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, while not dragging the UK into a trade war with the US that could push up prices for British consumers.
