UK’s Starmer To Meet Macron Over Ukraine Support

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to discuss continued support for Ukraine, following Donald Trump’s recent U.S. election victory.

Trump’s return to office in January has raised European concerns over a potential reduction in American aid to Ukraine’s defense against Russia.

In addition to discussing Ukraine, Starmer and Macron will address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Starmer will also become the first British Prime Minister since World War II to attend the French Armistice Day services, a symbolic move underscoring UK-France unity.

Trump, who has criticized the scale of U.S. involvement in Ukraine, has suggested he could end the conflict without specifying his approach, prompting European leaders to bolster their own commitments. Europe has allocated €118 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the U.S. providing €85 billion, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

On this trip, Starmer will also meet new French Prime Minister Michel Barnier for their first talks since Barnier’s appointment in September. Next year, Britain and the European Union are set to begin negotiations on a post-Brexit security pact to enhance cooperation on defense and energy.