Speech

Prime Minister's remarks at the White House Press Conference: Thursday 27 February

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's opening remarks at the White House press conference.

The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP

Thank you very much, Mr President.

Thank you for your hospitality, thank you for your leadership.

This has been a very good and very productive visit.

And with your family roots in Scotland鈥

And your close bond with His Majesty the King鈥

It鈥檚 good to know鈥

That the United Kingdom has a true friend in the Oval Office.

And it was so good to see the bust of Winston Churchill back in its rightful place just a moment ago.

But look, in a moment of real danger around the world鈥

This relationship matters more than ever.

We remain each other鈥檚 first partner in defence鈥

Ready to come to the other鈥檚 aid鈥

To counter threats, wherever and whenever they may arise.

No two militaries are more intertwined than ours.

No two countries have done more together to keep people safe.

And in a few weeks鈥 time we鈥檒l mark VE Day鈥

The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe.

Britain and America fought side-by-side to make that happen 鈥

One of the greatest moments in our history.

We stand side-by-side still, today鈥

And we鈥檙e focused now鈥

On bringing an enduring end to the barbaric war in Ukraine.

Mr President, I welcome your deep, personal commitment鈥

To bring peace and stop the killing.

You have created a moment of tremendous opportunity鈥

To reach an historic peace deal 鈥

A deal that would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world.

That is the prize.

But we have to get it right.

There鈥檚 a famous slogan in the United Kingdom鈥

From after the Second World War 鈥

That is that we have to 鈥渨in the peace.鈥

And that鈥檚 what we must do now.

Because it can鈥檛 be a peace that rewards the aggressor鈥

Or that gives succour to regimes like Iran.

We agree 鈥 history must be on the side of the peacemaker鈥

Not the invader.

So the stakes, they could not be higher.

And we鈥檙e determined to work together to deliver a good deal.

We鈥檝e discussed a plan today鈥

To reach a peace that is tough and fair鈥

That Ukraine will help to shape鈥

That is backed by strength 鈥

To stop Putin coming back for more.

And I am working closely with other European leaders on this.

And I am clear 鈥

That the UK is ready鈥

To put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal.

Working together with our allies,

Because that is the only way that peace that will last.

Mr President, in this new era鈥

You鈥檙e also right that Europe must step up.

And let me tell you now 鈥

I see the growing threats we face鈥

And so the UK is all in.

This year we will be giving more military aid to Ukraine than ever.

And just this week鈥

I have set out how we are shouldering more of the security burden.

We鈥檙e already one of the biggest spenders in NATO鈥

And now we are going much further鈥

Delivering Britain鈥檚 biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

This isn鈥檛 just talk 鈥 it鈥檚 action.

Rebalancing the transatlantic alliance鈥

Making us all stronger鈥

And standing up for our shared values and shared security鈥

As Britain always has.

Now, Mr President鈥

It鈥檚 no secret we鈥檙e from different political traditions鈥

But there is a lot that we have in common.

We believe it鈥檚 not taking part that counts鈥

What counts is winning.

If you don鈥檛 win 鈥 you don鈥檛 deliver.

And we鈥檙e determined to deliver for the working people of Britain and America 鈥

Who want 鈥 and deserve 鈥 to see their lives improve.

So we鈥檙e both in a hurry to get things done.

And that鈥檚 what the UK and the US do when we work together:

We win 鈥 and we get things done.

So we鈥檒l do what it takes to keep our people safe鈥β

We will also work together鈥

To deliver some big economic wins that can benefit us both.

We have $1.5 trillion invested in each other鈥檚 economies鈥

Creating over 2.5 million jobs across both economies.

Our trading relationship is not just strong 鈥

It is fair, balanced and reciprocal.

We鈥檙e leaders together in so many areas鈥

Ranked one and two in the world as investment destinations鈥

One and two for universities鈥

One and two for Nobel prizes鈥

One and two in golf, as well 鈥 by the way鈥

And we鈥檙e the only two western countries with trillion dollar tech sectors 鈥

Leaders in AI鈥

And look, we take a similar approach on this issue.

Instead of over-regulating these new technologies鈥

We鈥檙e seizing the opportunities they offer.

So we have decided today to go further鈥

To begin work on a new economic deal鈥

With advanced technology at its core鈥

Look 鈥 our two nations, together鈥

Shaped the great technological innovations of the last century.

We have a chance now鈥

To do the same for the 21st century鈥

I mean - artificial intelligence could cure cancer鈥

That could be a moonshot for our age鈥

And that鈥檚 how we will keep delivering for our people.

There are so many opportunities.

Keep our nations strong鈥

And fulfil the promise of greatness鈥

That has always defined this relationship.

Finally, to underline the importance of this bond鈥

It was my privilege and honour to bring a letter with me today 鈥

From His Majesty the King鈥

Not only sending his best wishes鈥

But also inviting the President and the First Lady to make a State Visit to the United Kingdom鈥

An unprecedented second State Visit 鈥 this has never happened before.

It鈥檚 so incredible it will be historic.

And I鈥檓 delighted that I can go back to His Majesty The King and tell him that President Trump has accepted the invitation.

So thank you.

Our teams will now work together to set a date.

Mr President, we look forward to welcoming you in the United Kingdom.

Thank you once again.

Updates to this page

Published 27 February 2025