The meeting between the prime minister and President Donald Trump—an unpredictable leader with starkly different political views—had the potential to be tense, even uncomfortable.

The meeting between the prime minister and President Donald Trump—an unpredictable leader with starkly different political views—had the potential to be tense, even uncomfortable.

However, that wasn’t the case. As the Downing Street team heads back to the UK, they are satisfied with how the discussions unfolded.

For some time, senior officials believed they had established a strong rapport with Trump. Yet, given his unpredictable nature, they could never be entirely certain.

Trump mentioned a proposed UK-US deal, which is expected to be limited in scope, initially concentrating on the technology sector.

Despite progress in discussions, significant uncertainty remains regarding the practical aspects of a peace plan for Ukraine. The prime minister emphasized the need to focus on "winning the peace" rather than simply halting the conflict.

The UK acknowledges that deploying American troops in Ukraine is out of the question. However, the government hopes the US will provide air support to safeguard British and European peacekeepers.

Trump has suggested that the presence of American personnel overseeing the extraction of rare earth minerals—expected to be a key component of the peace agreement—would serve as a deterrent against further aggression from Vladimir Putin.

Security assurances for Ukraine will be a central topic at a summit in London on Sunday, hosted by the prime minister. 

During his two-day state visit to Portugal, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europeans to stand "more united and strong than ever," according to AFP and local media reports.

Speaking on Thursday, Macron cautioned against excessive reliance on the United States, stating that "submission is not the answer" and emphasizing that he does not support "happy visualization."

He encouraged European nations to embrace "risk, ambition, and power" in response to the unpredictability of Donald Trump, particularly concerning Ukraine and trade policies.

Macron was the first of three world leaders to meet with Trump this week to discuss the war in Ukraine. During their talks on Monday, Macron underscored a shared desire for peace and stressed that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security.

Following Macron's meeting, UK Prime Minister Keir Stammer also held discussions with Trump, covering topics such as securing peace in Ukraine and the UK's Chagos deal. Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected at the White House, with live coverage to follow.

With the US remaining the UK’s largest trading partner, strengthening economic ties is a key priority. While past efforts to negotiate a post-Brexit trade deal stalled under President Biden due to competing priorities and differences in food standards, the economic arrangement now being discussed could take a different shape, focusing on sectors like financial services and technology.

Despite the uncertain economic benefits, nearly a quarter of the UK’s service exports go to the US, making trade ties significant. However, rather than solely seeking economic gains or tariff reductions, the UK may also be aiming to shield itself from the additional tariffs Trump is imposing on many countries.

Trump has repeatedly threatened new tariffs on US allies, including a 25% tax on all imported steel and aluminum, which could impact the UK. Since returning to office in January, he has already increased tariffs on Chinese goods by 10% and taken steps to impose further duties on other imports.

Earlier this month, he announced 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada—America’s top two trading partners—but later suspended them until March 4 to allow for border security negotiations.

Trump has also suggested imposing a 25% tariff on European Union imports, claiming the EU was designed to "take advantage of the United States."

The EU has firmly rejected these claims, arguing that the creation of a regional market has actually facilitated business opportunities for American firms. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reinforced this view, posting on X that the EU "wasn’t formed to exploit anyone."