The UK hopes to act as a bridge between Europe and Donald Trump’s US. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it could be a crucial week of diplomacy in determining Ukraine’s future.
Keir Starmer will travel to Paris on Monday for the emergency summit of European leaders before his trip to Washington the following week, and Reynolds will persuade the United States to allow Ukraine to join NATO He said he had not given up on this yet.
The US had reasonable points to ask European countries to contribute more to defensive spending towards protecting Europe, Reynolds said on the BBC Sunday with Laura Quensberg.
“That’s how Europe has to deal with,” he said. “We believe that we in the UK can play a role as it is between the bridge between the US and Europe to adapt to this new era. And it certainly is a new era. is.
“But I think it’s wrong to portray this as a kind of fundamental violation. There’s still a lot in common between the US and its European allies. We’ll strengthen it. We must play our part in order.”
The Paris gathering is organized by French President Emmanuel Macron to address issues such as the US European response to remove European leaders from peace negotiations and future membership in Ukraine’s NATO. I’m thinking it out.
Reynolds, who tried to downplay Trump’s shocking impact on Europe, attempted to set up what appeared to be a one-sided plan for the end of the war that began when Russia invaded Ukraine, claiming that Ukraine had been He said he could be allowed to participate in NATO. The US said “It was all still on the table.”
However, he opposed a speech given by Trump’s vice president JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
Surprising the European hosts, Vance rarely mentions Ukraine, instead giving a lecture of war-heavy cultures that argued that the real threat to Europe is not Russia or China, but the oppression of freedom of speech. I did.
“We can oppose some things and still become close ally,” Reynolds said. “I disagree with that. I think the threat from Russia is real.”
In his speech, Vance used the example of a British anti-abortion activist who was arrested for praying in a “buffer zone” near an abortion clinic as an assault on religious freedom.
Reynolds made this an issue. “Let’s be clear. There is no blasphemy law in Britain. That’s the right thing to do. I say that as a Christian. No one has been arrested for their prayers. The example he gave is , to make people have access to health care,” he said.
Sunday Times has been rejected by 10 sources after Starmer dismisses Treasury concerns and reports that he wants to confirm an increase in UK defence spending, but Reynolds says he will provide details He refused, but said the entire government has recognized the need for this.
He told Sky News: “I think the whole government, most people in this country, are aware of global pressure. Currently, the spending review sets a roadmap towards that goal.”
He added: “The Prime Minister knows more about the pressure on public services than most people, but defense must be the basis for the prosperity and security of our people.”
Pushed forward when there is an increase, he says: “We’re setting up that roadmap. We’ve already protected more money in this new government’s first budget, so our qualifications are there.”
