Sir Keir Starmer and fellow European leaders have urged Donald Trump to stand up to the “bully” Vladimir Putin as they digest the potential consequences of the historic Republican election victory in the US.
Volodymyr Zelensky made a desperate appeal at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Budapest for leaders to continue their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia amid fears that Mr Trump will try to force a deal involving concessions.
It came as Sir Keir faces increasing pressure to prioritise a new post-Brexit defence pact with the EU, with concerns growing that Mr Trump may also dilute support for Nato and focus US military objectives elsewhere.
In his first term, Mr Trump made a point of threatening to withdraw support from Nato unless other member states began spending more on defence. And during the presidential campaign he quipped in one speech about welcoming a Russian invasion of one country which did not contribute enough.
To add to the tensions hanging over the summit, host Viktor Orban – Hungary’s prime minister – is Mr Trump’s closest European ally and has been described as pro-Putin, pushing to end the war by seeking compromise with Russia.
The EPC summit was the first time international leaders had gathered since Mr Trump’s remarkable victory, in which Republicans also seized control of the Senate.
Denne historien er fra November 08, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 08, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Usyk outpoints Fury again to retain heavyweight titles
Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury on points on Saturday to do the double over the Briton, retaining the unified heavyweight titles in the process.
Jesus punishes Palace to reignite Arsenal title fight
Gabriel Jesus’s first-half brace fired Arsenal to an emphatic 5-1 win against Crystal Palace to take them within three points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.
Resigned Guardiola signals City's complete breakdown
An obsessive Spanish manager had taken his adopted club to rare heights.
How the malicious Grinch bots’ are stealing Christmas
When my brother-in-law tried to buy a Barbie gymnast as a Christmas present for my daughter last week, the doll kept disappearing from every online store he visited.
Pope warns Vatican staff on gossiping and backstabbing
Pope Francis used his annual Christmas greetings to tell Vatican bureaucrats to stop speaking ill of one another, warning that gossip is an \"evil\".
'I feared I'd end up in the trench like the other bodies'
Reporting from the site of a mass grave around 25 miles from the Syrian capital, Bel Trew speaks to a man who dug out the trenches before realising the horror of what was happening
Christmas market atrocity will further divide the West
Does terrorism work? It depends what the aim of the perpetrator is and in the case of Friday night's Magdeburg Christmas market attack it's not as clear cut as it may have seemed in the immediate aftermath.
Germany mourns as death toll from market attack rises
Saudi doctor held after car ploughs into crowd at Christmas event, leaving five people dead and dezens more sala
'Good vibes': winter solstice is celebrated at Stonehenge.
Thousands gathered at Stonehenge yesterday as they greeted the sun with cheers and applause to mark the winter solstice.
Children born thanks to IVF pioneer find biological father is scientist at his lab
Questions have been raised about one of the UK's most wellknown fertility doctors after two people whose parents attended his clinic reportedly made the shock discovery that their biological father is a lab scientist who worked in the same hospital as the physician.
