After White House catastrophe, Starmer faces decision about who he can trust

A meltdown. A fearfulness show. A pile-on. However you privation to picture it, the gathering betwixt US President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky successful the Oval Office past nighttime was a historical catastrophe: Ukraine and its astir important state successful a nationalist slanging match.

But much important than the insults and shouting was the clash connected substance. America's menace to chopped its enactment for Ukraine if Zelensky doesn't motion a deal. Trump's refusal to sanction Russia arsenic the wide aggressor and Ukraine arsenic the wide unfortunate successful the conflict.

It was a full opposition to what happened connected Thursday erstwhile Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met Trump. "Ecstatic", "triumph", "outstanding" were a fewer of the words utilized by the PM's team.

They weren't conscionable delighted with the optics of the 2 leaders chatting astir their families and the royals implicit wintertime greens and oversea bass – Sir Keir's squad believed they had made genuine advancement successful talks successful the Oval Office astir Ukraine.

Trump told Sir Keir that the US was moving accelerated connected a ceasefire deal, but it wasn't done and they weren't rushing to a atrocious one. And the PM got an assurance the US was looking astatine however it could warrant Ukraine's information if a bid was agreed. A elder authorities root told maine "there are bully reasons to beryllium optimistic" astir Trump's existent position.

But past night's outbursts springiness a precise antithetic picture, and this greeting you'd beryllium hard pushed to find an optimist successful Westminster.

A authorities curate present said the scenes had been "deeply troubling and sobering". Sir Keir spoke to some Trump and Zelensky past night, but No 10 is tight-lipped connected what was said.

Today the Prime Minister volition beryllium successful "back to backmost calls" trying to spot things up and this day helium is hosting Zelensky, who landed successful the UK this morning, successful Downing Street, up of a acme of European leaders connected Sunday.

But Trump's words from past nighttime suggest that some Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron had not succeeded successful 1 of their superior objectives this week: to transportation America that Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine indispensable beryllium protected.

So what now? Sir Keir has immoderate hard questions to ponder. Does helium strive to get his caller diplomatic person astatine the White House backmost connected board? Or is the caller world that the US conscionable can't beryllium relied on, that the animosity betwixt Trump and Zelensky runs excessively deep.

If America's out, does helium propulsion European allies to articulation the UK and France successful offering troops that could warrant a bid woody – the "reassurance force" program we talked astir past week.

Is it adjacent feasible for Europe to enactment Ukraine connected its own?

I'll beryllium asking the premier curate these questions myself erstwhile helium joins america unrecorded successful the workplace time greeting astatine 1 of the astir captious junctures for some his enactment and the information of our continent.

The irony is that until past night's drama, accepted contented successful governmental and diplomatic circles was that dilatory but surely, the absorption of question was towards a woody to extremity the war. Whatever you deliberation of him, the predetermination of Trump had changed the dynamic and focused minds connected bringing an extremity to the conflict.

No occidental allies would suggest that Zelensky should conscionable fold aft 3 years of holding disconnected Russia, with each the lives mislaid and each the suffering of his people. Yet privately, and tiptoeing towards it successful public, determination was a consciousness that helium was consenting to instrumentality portion successful immoderate signifier of negotiation.

His erstwhile stance of not giving an inch had visibly softened successful caller months. If the struggle is to end, astir diplomats would archer you that has to hap astatine the negotiating table. For each the blistery tempers, Trump had said helium could get Russia to talk. To halt the war, Zelensky whitethorn person to get backmost to the array too.

In the adjacent important 24 hours, Sir Keir volition anticipation to prime up the pieces of past night's disastrous brushwood and propulsion Europe to travel up with the strongest look of support, alongside imaginable promises of much subject backing.

He'll besides anticipation helium tin reset the code and calm the atmosphere.

The mentation of Trump medication we saw successful the Oval Office past nighttime does not represent a reliable partner.

The premier curate is present faced with a determination not conscionable connected what to do, but who helium tin trust.