THERESA May has said there will be a “key focus” on the UK and US’s security and defence relationship when she meets with Donald Trump this week.
The US president has indicated he may loosen defence ties with Europe ahead of his appearance at a Nato summit in Brussels, which will be followed by a four-day trip to the UK.
Trump is set to spend two of those days in Scotland.
The British ambassador to the US has confirmed that Trump will be an “honoured guest” during his first visit to the UK since his election. He is expected to meet the Prime Minister at Chequers and the Queen at Windsor Castle before travelling north of the Border.
It was revealed on Saturday night that Trump had not contacted Nicola Sturgeon about his visit, throwing into severe doubt any suggestion the two leaders will meet.
The US president is also expected to largely ignore central London during his visit, meaning he will likely miss a protest that will see an “angry Trump baby” blimp flown over the Palace of Westminster.
The stunt has received permission from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has been involved in a few public spats with Trump since the latter was elected president.
Ahead of their meeting at Chequers, May they would discuss a number of issues, but highlighted the subject of defence.
“I think there’s going to be a key focus this week on our relationship on security and defence,” she said. “The importance of the unity that we show in relation to Western security and defence, I think, will be part of our discussions.”
May then referred to the fact that the UK, along with the US, was meeting its commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defence. Failures by other Nato members, most notably Germany, to do the same are said to have riled Trump.
“We’re meeting the pledge,” May said. “A limited number of other Nato countries are meeting it. I would urge everybody to work towards that.”
Trump is due to arrive aboard Air Force One on Thursday afternoon. He has series of engagements planned for Friday before he travels to Scotland that evening.
During his two-day stay north of the Border, he is expected to play golf at one of the two courses he owns in the country, at Balmedie in Aberdeen-shire and Turnberry in Ayrshire. Police Scotland confirmed last week that Trump’s visit will cost the force about £5 million, but the UK Government has since confirmed it will pick up the tab.
Later in the month, Trump plans to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. This gives added importance to this week’s meetings with European leaders on the defence and security front.
“Given the US’s footprint in Europe and Putin’s recent hostile actions ... much hinges on the outcome of the two forthcoming summits,” said UK Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Trump will be treated as an “honoured guest” during his four-day visit to the UK.
The UK’s ambassador to the US, Sir Kim Darroch stressed the importance of the “leading role” the Anglo-American alliance plays on the world stage. He added that the relationship between the two countries is “interwoven at every level”.
“President Trump will be an honoured guest, representing a partnership that is greater and deeper than any other in history,” Darroch said. “And in a world in which the challenges seem ever more daunting, I’m confident that the UK-US alliance will continue to play a leading role in advancing our shared values of democracy and freedom.”
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