Trump in the UK for three days: Starmer seeks understanding on tariffs and Ukraine

Trump is famously a great admirer of the royal family and has asked to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who hosted him during his first state visit in 2019. The president will go to lay a wreath at the Queen's tomb in St George's Royal Chapel in Windsor.

On Thursday, Trump will travel to Chequers, the British PM's country residence, for a day of talks with Starmer. Afterwards, at a joint press conference, the two leaders are expected to announce a series of agreements on nuclear energy, technology and defence technology.

Google has announced a £5 billion investment over the next two years in artificial intelligence, and the group's president, Ruth Porat, said that the UK offers 'great opportunities in science and technology'. OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, and chip giant Nvidia will also announce billion-pound investments in the UK.

The visit has been organised in every detail and with unprecedented security measures. Trump will not set foot in London where large protests against his visit are planned, and he will not make a speech in Parliament as is usually the case during a state visit by a foreign leader.

Relations between Starmer and Trump are more than cordial, despite different political views, but there are tensions and unresolved issues. On the international front, the British government is at the forefront in supporting Ukraine against the Russian invasion, while Trump seems willing to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin's line. On Gaza, US support for Israel despite international criticism and documented accusations of genocide is not shared by London, which has announced its intention to recognise the Palestinian state.

An old scandal also hovers over the state visit: Starmer was forced to sack the British ambassador to Washington, Sir Peter Mandelson, following revelations about his close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier convicted of paedophilia, sexual abuse and child trafficking, who died by suicide in prison.

Mandelson, a Labour Party veteran and former EU Trade Commissioner, had not only established a very good relationship with Trump, obtaining favourable terms on tariffs, but had also organised the state visit in every detail and was supposed to be at the president's side these days, as was customary.

His absence is also a cause of embarrassment for Trump, as his past friendship with Epstein remains unclear. The president had initially promised to publish all documents in the Epstein dossier but later changed his mind. Many in the US, even within his own Maga movement, are calling for more transparency.

Both Trump and Starmer therefore hope that the state visit will proceed as planned on the dual track of royal welcome and trade agreements pointing to the future and not be derailed by past scandals.