UK-EU agreement set to stir tensions with Trump’s administration

The UK is set to provoke the ire of US President Donald Trump next month by signing a strategic partnership agreement with the EU that could conflict with several key aspects of Trump’s foreign policy.

According to a draft preamble of the agreement, which is scheduled to be unveiled at an EU summit on May 19, the UK and EU will emphasise shared "geopolitical values." The draft highlights both parties' commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity, support for the Paris climate agreement, and a mutual pledge to uphold free, open trade, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This development is expected to be seen in Washington as a sign that the UK under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is aligning more closely with Brussels, a shift that may create tensions with the Trump administration. While UK ministers are working to finalise a trade deal with the US before the summit, which could reduce tariffs on British exports such as cars, there is no guarantee that negotiations will be concluded in time. Concerns have been raised that if the EU agreement is finalised before the US trade deal, it could jeopardise those talks. The document, which has been shared with EU members, is intended as a "geopolitical preamble" to the broader strategic partnership.

Although it does not directly reference the Trump administration, several elements of the document sharply contrast with US policies. The draft states: "We reaffirmed our continued support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We confirmed our shared principles of maintaining global economic stability and our mutual commitment to free and open trade." It also emphasises that the UK and EU will collaborate on mitigating "the impact of fluctuations in the global economic order" and reinforces their commitment to multilateralism. 

The document adds: "We remain committed to keeping the Paris agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C within reach." In addition, the UK and EU are expected to finalise a defense and security pact and lift checks on food exports between the two regions, contingent upon the UK following European food safety standards. This issue has been a point of contention in trade talks with the US, as the Trump administration has pushed the UK to allow imports of products like chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef, which are banned in both the UK and the EU. 

Government officials have downplayed concerns that the new agreement is "anti-Trump," clarifying that the focus of the partnership is to foster closer cooperation between the UK and the EU in areas of mutual interest. A government spokesperson stated: “We are not providing a running commentary on our discussions with the EU; these are ongoing and cover a wide range of issues. We are clear that we will always act in the national interest to secure the best outcomes for the UK.”

By Naila Huseynova