UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held an urgent press conference in London responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial tariff threats tied to Greenland. Starmer stressed that the decision over Greenland’s future belongs solely to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, calling the use of tariffs against allies “completely wrong” and warning that a trade war would harm workers and economies alike. He urged calm, diplomatic dialogue among NATO allies, reaffirmed the importance of the UK-U.S. relationship, and ruled out retaliatory tariffs while emphasizing collective security in the Arctic.
00:00Good morning. The world has become markedly more turbulent in recent weeks.
00:07Events are moving fast. And in moments like this, what matters most is being clear about the values
00:16and the interests that guide us, even as circumstances change. The United Kingdom has
00:24a long history. Our values were not improvised. They were built patiently over time. And while
00:34we are pragmatic in how we pursue our interests, we are resolute in defending those values when it
00:42matters. So let me begin with the United States. The UK and the US are close allies and close
00:52partners. That relationship matters profoundly, not just to our security, but to the prosperity
01:02and the stability that people here depend upon. Under President Trump, as under previous presidents,
01:11we're determined to keep that relationship strong, constructive and focused on results.
01:18And that approach is delivering. Through sustained engagement, we've seen significant US investment
01:26into the UK economy, running into hundreds of billions of pounds, supporting growth, skills
01:34and jobs right across the country. Our cooperation on defence, nuclear capability and intelligence
01:42remains as close and effective as anywhere in the world, keeping Britain safe in an increasingly
01:51dangerous environment. We've secured good trading terms in key sectors, including cars, steel, aerospace
01:59and life sciences, protecting British jobs and manufacturers. That is why we take the approach
02:08that we do. Because it delivers concrete outcomes in the national interest. I took, I talk regularly
02:17to President Trump. My team is in daily contact with all the key figures in his administration.
02:25These relationships matter. They deliver concrete outcomes in the national interest.
02:32Mature alliances are not about pretending differences don't exist. They are about addressing them directly,
02:44respectfully and with a focus on results. On Greenland, the right way to approach an issue
02:53of this seriousness is through calm discussion between allies. And let's be clear, the security
03:01of Greenland matters. And it will matter more as climate change reshapes the Arctic. As sea routes open
03:09and strategic competition intensifies, the High North will require greater attention,
03:15greater investment and stronger collective defence. The United States will be central to that effort.
03:23And the UK stands ready to contribute fully alongside our allies through NATO.
03:32But there is a principle here that cannot be set aside.
03:38Because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted international cooperation works.
03:44And so any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland
03:54and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. That right is fundamental and we support it.
04:03Denmark is a close ally of the United Kingdom and of the United States. A proud NATO member that has stood
04:13shoulder to shoulder with us, including at real human cost in recent decades.
04:21Alliances endure because they're built on respect and partnership, not pressure.
04:28That is why I said the use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong.
04:37It is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance.
04:44Nor is it helpful to frame efforts to strengthen Greenland security
04:49as a justification for economic pressure.
04:51And that is why I've been so clear on this issue.
05:03A trade war is in no one's interest. And my job is always to act in the UK's national interest.
05:14That is why yesterday I spoke to President Trump, to European leaders and to the Secretary General of NATO.
05:25To find a solution rooted in partnership, facts and mutual respect.
05:32Because that is how strong alliances protect shared interests.
05:38The same is true on other issues.
05:40In the Middle East, we welcome President Trump's focus on sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza and moving on to phase two.
05:50We are open to participating constructively in such efforts.
05:56On Ukraine, I can be brief.
05:59We strongly support efforts to bring the killing to an end and secure a ceasefire as soon as possible.
06:06We recognize President Trump's role in pushing that process forward.
06:12And we will work closely with the United States, Ukraine and our other allies to apply pressure where it belongs on Putin.
06:25Finally, let me say why all this matters so directly to people here at home.
06:31In today's world, geopolitics is not something that happens somewhere else.
06:40It shapes the cost of energy, the price of food, the security of jobs and the stability that families rely on to plan their lives.
06:49When war drives up fuel prices, it's households who feel it first.
06:56When supply chains fracture, it's small businesses and working people who absorb the shock.
07:04And when instability grows, it's rarely those with the most power who pay the price.
07:11It's less.
07:12That is why this government's approach is rooted in a simple belief that we must use every tool of government,
07:22domestic and international, to fight for the interests of ordinary people.
07:29At home, that means active government.
07:31It means taking responsibility for economic stability so that inflation is controlled, interest rates come down and family budgets are protected.
07:44It means stepping in where markets fail, strengthening resilience and ensuring that global shocks do not always land on the same people in the same places.
07:55The people least able to withstand them.
07:58That's why we've taken action to reduce energy bills, to freeze railfares and prescription charges.
08:06But tackling the cost of living today also means engagement beyond our borders.
08:13It requires shaping the world around us, not retreating from it.
08:17It requires strong alliances, steady diplomacy and rules that reduce uncertainty rather than amplify it.
08:28That is why our commitment to international law and to alliances founded on trust is not abstract or ideological.
08:37It's practical.
08:38It's about stability, predictability and fairness.
08:42The conditions that keep prices down, jobs secure and economies resilient.
08:49That is what active government looks like in an age of uncertainty.
08:55Steady at home, engaged abroad and always focused on protecting the people that we serve.
09:04Britain is a pragmatic country.
09:07We look for agreement.
09:09We believe in partnership.
09:11We prefer solutions to slogans.
09:14And we will not indulge in commentary and gesture politics that harm the British people.
09:22But being pragmatic does not mean being passive.
09:27And partnership does not mean abandoning principle.
09:32That is why it's important to be clear about who we stand with,
09:36what we stand for and where our interests lie.
09:41Now this is a moment for the whole country to pull together.
09:46So I warmly welcome the support we've had with regards to Greenland and the proposed tariffs from the leader of the opposition.
09:55I thank her for her support.
09:57At moments like this, there will always be people who reach for the performative, who think an angry social media post or grandstanding is a substitute for hard work.
10:09That's an understandable instinct, but it's not effective, it never has been, it may make politicians feel good, but it does nothing for working people whose jobs, livelihoods and security rely on the relationships that we build across the world.
10:30So to conclude, we will work with our allies in Europe, across NATO and with the United States.
10:39We will keep dialogue open, we will defend international law and we will use the full strength of government at home and abroad to protect the security, living standards and future of the British people.
10:56That is the approach I will take as Prime Minister.
10:59And that is the responsibility that this moment demands.
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