Donald Trump has opened the door to a possible US-UK trade deal without tariffs after a meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

As part of a European charm offensive launched to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine, following on from Emmanuel Macron’s own trip on Monday, Sir Keir met the US president at the White House yesterday.

It comes ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s own visit to Washington today.

During the meeting and a subsequent news conference, the two world leaders exchanged warm words – Mr Trump described Sir Keir as a “special man” and a “great gentleman”, while the British PM praised the US leader for “changing the conversation” on Ukraine.

‘Tough negotiator’

The Republican president has slapped tariffs on a number of countries in the early weeks of his first term, including using them to pressure allies into action.

But he hinted the UK could avoid that fate.

Mr Trump said he thought the UK and US could end up with a “real trade deal” without tariffs and called Sir Keir a “tough negotiator” who had tried to persuade him not to impose trade tariffs on the UK.

“He was working hard, I’ll tell you that,” the president added.

“He earned whatever the hell they pay him over there, but he tried.

“I think there’s a very good chance that in the case of these two great, friendly countries, I think we could very well end up with a real trade deal where the tariffs wouldn’t be necessary. We’ll see.”

Trump’s ‘great warm spot’

The surprisingly positive meeting followed recent weeks in which it appeared the transatlantic relationship had come under strain, following Mr Trump’s intervention to try to bring about the end of the war in Ukraine.

Mr Trump spoke about the UK, saying: “I have investments there, I own Turnberry, I own Aberdeen, and I own a great place called Doonbeg in Ireland [Ireland isn’t in the UK].

“So, I have a great warm spot for your country.”

Ukraine, Chagos and a royal invite

The key reason for the visit was to try to bring about a sustainable peace in Ukraine.

Mr Starmer followed Mr Macron into the Oval Office in an effort to win over Mr Trump after his administration held unilateral talks with Russia last week, without Ukraine, in a move that set off sirens throughout Europe’s capitals.

However, Mr Trump offered no security guarantees during the meeting with Sir Keir and the two leaders struck different tones.

While Mr Trump said “if it [a peace deal] doesn’t happen quickly, it may not happen at all”, Sir Keir said “history must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader.”

The actions of Sir Keir and Mr Macron reflected a continent jolted into action.

Sir Keir recently announced a historic hike to defence spending as well – something Mr Trump has previously called for.

Mr Zelenskyy is making the same trip to the US where he will sit down and thrash out a possible deal on critical minerals in Ukraine.

The economic deal has proven a crucial precursor of any potential peace agreement.

Mr Trump has said it would see American workers in Ukraine – something that would act as an effective backstop to any peacekeeping forces there, he claimed.

On the Chagos Islands deal, over which some have criticised Mr Starmer, Mr Trump said the plan to give up sovereignty and lease back the US-UK base would “work out well”.

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Before talks between the two sides, Sir Keir produced, with a flourish, a letter from the King written to Mr Trump, inviting him for an “unprecedented” second state visit.

The letter, marked “private and confidential”, invited the royal-loving president to the UK, with talks ahead of the formal state visit to discuss logistics and a potential programme.

Wow. That was a lot.

I had two tactics going in: one – smile at Donald Trump, try to catch his eye because then he might ask you for a question, and I did get called.

And two, wear something bright so he sees you in the sea of grey. Well, that worked.

The colourful approach also really worked for Sir Keir Starmer, who produced a letter from the King inviting Trump for a second state visit.

The US president genuinely seemed utterly delighted.

He loves the Royal Family, so this was really some smart diplomacy from the prime minister.

Starmer will be so happy with how that went off, because there were lots of potential landmines on certain areas.

Mr Trump was charming. He did not get into it with the prime minister on the issue of the Chagos Islands and that deal – he was pretty nice about that. And he did not say anything controversial.

On tariffs, the president chose to really lay into the European Union and did not really go to town on tariffs when it comes to the UK.

On Ukraine, he was asked about a peace deal. He thinks it’s going to happen. He was asked about security guarantees. He said: “We’re going to get the deal, and then we’re going to work all of that stuff out.”

When he was asked about whether he would back up UK troops if necessary – well, he did not say no.

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Overall, it was a pretty good outing for Starmer and the atmospherics were good.

But blimey – Trump, it is free-flowing. I’ve never been into the Oval Office and had a situation where a president would answer so many questions from journalists.

In the past with President Biden, it was all very ordered and certain people got to ask questions.

Here, it really is free-flowing. It was quite an intense session.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump, discussions that could help shape the relationship between the UK and the US for the next four years.

In a short speech at the British ambassador’s residence he was keen to emphasise the things the two countries have in common.

“We want to work with you, we want to welcome you to Britain,” he said. “We want a new partnership, because our history shows that when we work together great things happen.”

On Wednesday, the prime minister had brushed aside growing tensions between the White House and Europe over Ukraine, saying he trusted Mr Trump and wanted the “special relationship” to go “from strength to strength”.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the White House meeting, Sir Keir insisted that the UK was working “in lockstep” with the president on the matter of Ukraine.

Asked if he could trust President Trump in light of what has happened in recent weeks, the prime minister replied “yes”.

“I’ve got a good relationship with him,” Sir Keir said.

“As you know, I’ve met him, I’ve spoken to him on the phone, and this relationship between our two countries is a special relationship with a long history, forged as we fought wars together, as we traded together.

“And as I say, I want it to go from strength to strength.”

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Even before Sir Keir arrived in Washington, the choreography of the trip hit a little turbulence as President Trump appeared to pour cold water on the prospect of a US military backstop for Ukraine as part of any peace deal – a key UK and European demand.

“I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much,” Mr Trump said at his first cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

“We’re going to have Europe do that because Europe is the next-door neighbour.”

His remarks seemed at odds with those made by the prime minister on the way to Washington as he reiterated how important a US military backstop was for Ukraine.

“We all want a peaceful outcome,” the prime minister said.

“It’s got to be a lasting peace, and that requires us to put in place an effective security guarantee.

“Exactly what the configuration of that is, exactly what the backstop is, is obviously the subject of intense discussion.”

He added: “But the reason I say the backstop is so important is that the security guarantee has to be sufficient to deter Putin from coming again because my concern is if there is a ceasefire without a backstop, it will simply give him the opportunity to wait and to come again because his ambition in relation to Ukraine is pretty obvious, I think, for all to see.”

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While European allies such as the UK and France are preparing to put peacekeeping troops on the ground to police the Ukraine-Russian borders, leaders have been clear that US support is essential to containing President Putin and securing that support is the key purpose of the prime minister’s trip to Washington.

President Zelenskyy has also demanded that clear guarantees of US military backing and security be part of his deal with the US on critical minerals, but a framework agreed this week by both sides did not include an explicit reference to any such support.

Ahead of the trip to Washington, the prime minister pledged to increase UK defence spending – a key ask of all NATO members by President Trump – and reiterated his commitment to putting British boots on the ground in Ukraine as he attempts to lower tensions between Europe and the US and demonstrate to President Trump that the UK is willing to play its part.

“When it comes to defence and security, we have for decades acted as a bridge because of the special relationship we have with the US and also our allegiance to our European allies,” Sir Keir said.

“I’ve been absolutely resolute that we’re not going to choose between one side of the Atlantic and the other. We will work with the US, we will work with our European allies, that’s what we’ve done for decades, and it’s what we’ll do whilst I’m prime minister.”

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Sir Keir also gave the British public a “message of reassurance” after his decision to accelerate defence spending in the face of Russian aggression, saying he had done it to “ensure their safety” and increased investment would bring opportunities.

“I want to reassure the British public that what we’re doing is to ensure their safety, their security and defence of our country.

“I want to also be clear that this is an opportunity because, as we increase defence spending, then that gives an opportunity for our industrial strategy, for jobs across the UK, good well-paid jobs in defence.”