London / PNN /
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to press former U.S. President Donald Trump on the Gaza crisis and a UK-U.S. trade deal during their meeting on Monday in Scotland, according to a statement issued by Downing Street.
The meeting is set to take place at Trump’s private golf resort on the third day of the former president’s visit to the homeland of his mother.
Starmer, the statement said, intends to urge Trump to help “end the unimaginable suffering” in Gaza and to reinvigorate stalled ceasefire negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, as famine deepens in the besieged Strip.
The talks come as European nations voice growing concern over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, and as Starmer faces mounting domestic pressure to follow France’s lead and recognize a Palestinian state.
According to the statement, Starmer is also expected to “welcome President Trump’s engagement with partners in Qatar and Egypt to facilitate a ceasefire deal in Gaza.”
The two leaders will further discuss "what more can be done to secure an urgent ceasefire, end the unbearable suffering and famine in Gaza, and secure the release of hostages who have been held in brutal conditions for far too long," the statement added.
Starmer has previously supported Jordanian and Emirati efforts to deliver aid to Gaza via air-drops, though humanitarian officials have questioned the effectiveness of such measures in safely delivering sufficient food to over two million residents.
The leaders will also review progress on the UK-U.S. trade agreement signed on May 8, which lowered tariffs on certain British exports but has yet to be implemented.
Despite their contrasting political backgrounds, Starmer and Trump are said to have developed a strong working relationship on the international stage, with Trump recently praising Starmer for doing “a very good job” ahead of their meeting.
The high-profile talks follow Sunday’s announcement of a historic U.S.-EU agreement to end a long-running transatlantic trade dispute and avoid a full-scale trade war.
Following their meeting in Turnberry, the two leaders are scheduled to travel to Aberdeen in northeast Scotland, where Trump is expected to officially open a new golf course at his resort on Tuesday.
