Starmer’s waning influence is apparent at awkward G7 summit
British prime minister was left making small talk unsure if a meeting with Trump and Zelenskyy was going ahead
TL;DR
- Keir Starmer faced an awkward start at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, with key meetings delayed and his presence seemingly unacknowledged.
- The prime minister was dealing with the prospect of a leadership challenge at home, which potentially overshadowed his international appearances.
- His interactions with Donald Trump were notably less significant than at the previous year's G7, with no planned bilateral meeting.
- Starmer's team emphasized a 'warm' relationship with Trump and productive conversations, despite Starmer appearing uncertain about Trump's attendance at a Ukraine meeting.
- Starmer announced a £210m energy support package for Ukraine and further sanctions on Russia, and discussed potential British involvement in de-mining the Strait of Hormuz.
- He also secured announcements of investments in British energy and AI infrastructure and confirmed the second UK-EU summit date.