Keir Starmer didn’t hold back when Donald Trump made a misleading claim about Europe’s support for Ukraine. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump suggested that European nations were getting their money back, while the US wasn’t.
He said:
“Biden made a deal, he put in $350bn, and I thought it was a very unfair situation.”
But Starmer quickly corrected him:
“We’re not getting all of ours. Quite a bit of ours was gifted, it was given. There were some loans, but mainly it was gifted actually.”
This wasn’t the first time this week Trump had been fact-checked over the same claim. French President Emmanuel Macron had already corrected him days earlier, pointing out that Europe has covered 60% of Ukraine’s financial support.
A Diplomatic Balancing Act
Starmer’s response raised eyebrows, especially since his team has emphasised his diplomatic approach during this visit. Some ministers seemed uneasy about his direct challenge to Trump.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed told reporters:
“I don’t think it is for the prime minister to be fact-checking his host. His job is to advocate for the UK’s interests in a way that secures the best outcomes for us.”
However, Starmer’s real priority is securing security guarantees for Europe in case Russia continues its aggression after a Ukraine peace deal.
Taking on the US Vice-President Too?
This wasn’t the only time Starmer stepped in to correct a senior US figure.
At the Munich Security Conference, US Vice-President JD Vance criticised the UK and Europe for supposedly drifting away from free speech values. He suggested that tech regulations in Britain were affecting American businesses and, by extension, US citizens.
But Starmer wasn’t having it.
“We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom. And it will last for a very, very long time,” he said.
His response was firm but diplomatic, making it clear that the UK wasn’t infringing on free speech—and wasn’t about to start.
The Takeaway?
Starmer is walking a fine line—balancing diplomacy with directness. His fact-checking moments might not have been part of the script, but they certainly made headlines.
Now, the big question is—will Trump listen?
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