Starmer dismisses SNP call to axe Trump state visit

The premier curate has dismissed calls from the SNP to scrap an unprecedented 2nd authorities sojourn for Donald Trump pursuing a showdown with Ukraine's President Zelensky.

Trump accused Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three" astatine the White House connected Friday, successful a fiery speech described arsenic "deeply troubling" by Scotland's archetypal minister.

John Swinney told the BBC helium did not spot however a authorities sojourn for the US president - offered by the King connected Thursday - could spell up unless helium was "absolutely full-square with us" successful protecting Ukraine.

However Starmer, who hosted a acme of European leaders including Zelensky earlier, accused the SNP of utilizing rhetoric and said helium would not beryllium distracted.

It followed a fig of SNP MPs criticising the premier minister's narration with Trump connected societal media, including the party's Westminster person Stephen Flynn who said Starmer "better get backmost up disconnected his knees and revoke that connection of a authorities visit".

Prior to Zelensky's lukewarm invited astatine Downing Street connected Saturday, the SNP's overseas affairs spokesperson Stephen Gethins accused the premier curate of being soundless connected the substance which helium said was "disappointing".

After the White House exchange, Starmer called some Trump and Zelensky and aboriginal reiterated the UK's enactment for Ukraine, saying "we basal with Ukraine for arsenic agelong arsenic it whitethorn take".

Speaking to connected the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Starmer said: "I've seen radical ramping up the rhetoric and taking to Twitter and saying what they would bash – bully for them, I'm not that funny successful that.

"I'm funny successful what are the applicable steps, what are the span gathering that I tin do, what are the relationships that I tin mend and instrumentality guardant to instrumentality america to lasting bid successful Europe.

"I'm not going to beryllium diverted by the SNP oregon others trying to ramp up the rhetoric without truly appreciating what is the azygous astir important happening astatine involvement present – we're talking astir bid successful Europe."

Starmer utilized his US sojourn to contiguous Trump with a missive from the King, offering an archetypal gathering successful Scotland - wherever Trump owns 2 play courses - to sermon the logistics of a 2nd authorities visit.

Second-term US presidents are traditionally not offered authorities visits and person alternatively been invited for beverage oregon luncheon with the monarch, usually astatine Windsor Castle.

Taking a antithetic code from SNP MPs, John Swinney said helium welcomed the relation the premier curate was taking and that helium supported him trying to find a mode done a hard situation.

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday Show, helium said: "I deliberation the premier curate is perfectly close to effort and find a mode guardant with the United States due to the fact that the presumption that unfolded connected Friday evening was... profoundly troubling to watch.

"To spot a courageous person of a courageous state being berated successful the manner that President Zelensky was is wholly unacceptable."

But helium added that helium could not spot however a authorities sojourn could spell up if Trump was "not a steadfast state of ours successful protecting the aboriginal of Ukraine".

He said: "That seems to maine an perfectly cardinal request of immoderate connection of a authorities sojourn to the president of the United States – that helium is perfectly full-square with america successful protecting Ukraine and insuring its independence.

"If we don't bash that past I deliberation we are undermining the aboriginal of occidental democracy."

John Swinney has antecedently said helium would usage Trump's affinity for Scotland successful a bid to avoid tariffs being applied connected imports to the US, peculiarly connected Scotch whisky.

He had publically backed Harris, the Democratic nominee, successful the tally up to the 2024 statesmanlike election.

Zelensky had hoped for affirmative talks with Trump during his visit, including the signing of a minerals woody which would springiness the US a existent involvement successful his country's future, if not an outright information guarantee.

Instead helium faced an bonzer dressing down successful beforehand of the world's media, with Trump and his Vice-President JD Vance demanding that helium amusement much gratitude for years of US support.

The Ukrainian president pushed backmost astatine suggestions from his much almighty partners that helium should enactment harder to hold a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin. They responded that helium was being "disrespectful".

After his departure, Zelensky said Ukraine is "ready to motion the minerals agreement" but continued his telephone for US information guarantees.

The speech prompted a bid of responses from European leaders with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz among those reiterating their enactment for Ukraine.

Following the acme with European leaders successful London, Starmer unveiled a four-step program to warrant bid successful Ukraine, which volition beryllium discussed with the US.

Four points were agreed - to support subject assistance flowing into Ukraine, to person Kyiv astatine the array for immoderate bid talks, for European leaders to purpose to deter immoderate aboriginal Russian penetration of Ukraine and a "coalition of the willing" volition beryllium formed to support Ukraine and warrant peace.

Additionally, the UK volition beryllium giving Ukraine entree to £1.6bn ($2.01bn) to bargain caller missiles.

Sir Keir Starmer and John Swinney disagree connected the question of a authorities sojourn for Donald Trump.

But that's astir the lone constituent of contention betwixt them connected this planetary issue.

It was striking that the archetypal curate went retired of his mode to repeatedly invited the attack of Sir Keir to the warfare successful Ukraine, and to accidental helium was "absolutely right" to support seeking a woody with the US.

If Sir Keir and Mr Trump are precise antithetic characters, past the premier curate has acold much successful communal with Mr Swinney.

They are some superior men, much funny astatine this constituent successful outcomes than optics.

Mr Swinney stopped abbreviated of slapping down Stephen Flynn's sharply-worded societal media post, but helium was explicit successful his backing for Sir Keir's efforts to physique bridges betwixt Western allies.

While the SNP person is ever keen to capitalise connected immoderate home differences with his electoral rivals successful Labour, helium has made it wide that they are connected the aforesaid squad connected the planetary stage.