The meeting promised to be tense anyway given Trump’s sudden moves to settle the ongoing conflict in Ukraine but even more so given Westminster seems to wake each morning to some wild new intervention from the White House. Trump’s latest remarks about Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him “a dictator without elections” who has “done a terrible job” and even suggesting he was responsible for starting the war with Russia, have caused a widespread outcry. Leaders across Europe are growing increasingly uneasy at Trump using Putin’s lines to take, fearing these statements may further destabilise the situation and heighten the risk of conflict.

Starmer responded cautiously but firmly to Trump’s remarks, stressing the importance of unity among allies and reaffirming his support for Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s “democratically elected leader.” He even pointed out the UK itself suspended elections during WW2, highlighting why Ukraine’s similar move is understandable in the current situation.

So, what does this mean for Starmer’s already precarious popularity? A snap YouGov poll conducted on Wednesday found that 50% of respondents believe it is in the UK’s best interest to “stand up” to Trump, while 30% think Starmer should avoid direct criticism. This presents Starmer with a difficult balancing act: he must maintain the UK’s commitment to Ukraine while avoiding outright hostility towards Trump given his significant influence over NATO strategy and US-UK trade relations. Clearly, Trump is not above publicly humiliating supposed friends and allies, raising the threat to Starmer’s popularity even further.

Next week’s Washington visit will be a defining moment. Frustratingly for Starmer, who had positioned himself and the UK as the “bridge” between Europe and America, French President Emmanuel Macron will win the European race to the White House by four days. The PM can only hope coming second will ensure Trump has punched out some of his anger at Europe before he reaches the Oval Office.