Trump promises to meet Starmer in Aberdeen

President Donald trump of the United States (U.S.) has promised to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom (U.K.) in Aberdeen later in July.

According to a cabinet ally of Starmer, “British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has put a lot of efforts to cultivate a relationship with U.S. President, Donald Trump.”

Trump had promised to meet Starmer in Aberdeen later this month during a private visit to Scotland.

Ian Murray, Scottish Secretary, said that holding talks with the president is the “right thing to do.”

He said U.S. tariffs and the situation in Ukraine could be the agenda for discussion.

Scottish First Minister, John Swinney, will also meet the president who recently voiced his support for the oil and gas sector over wind power projects.

Trump hailed Aberdeen in a BBC News interview as the “oil capital of Europe” saying they should get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil.

Trump had promised to “refine” the recent trade deal struck between the UK and the U.S. with Starmer.

The agreement reduced tariffs on car and aerospace imports, but questions remained over whether steel imports into the U.S. would face 50 per cent tariffs.

There is also a baseline tariff of 10 per cent for most other imports with the Scotch whisky industry now pushing for this to be lowered.

“At this stage, we have no sight of what the president’s programme is.

“But we do know the first minister and the prime minister will meet him, and it is right for them both to do so,’’ Murray said.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s, “Good Morning Scotland’’ programme, the Scottish secretary said that the meeting was the right thing to do.

He said that “those relationships are incredibly important in terms of national interest.”

“We should make sure we are working very closely with our allies for the benefit of Scotland and the whole of the United Kingdom.

“What is in the UK’s national interest is the “top priority” for the prime minister.

“Of course tariffs will be on the agenda, I am sure; then the economic situation and the issue of Ukraine and defence.

“All these issues, I am sure, will be on the agenda when they speak,” he said.

According to Murray, the bottom line here is that it has taken a lot of effort for the prime minister to cultivate this relationship with our strongest ally.

He said that they have the lowest tariffs in the world and had the first deal done with America in their national interest.

“The 10 per cent tariff on whisky exports to the U.S. is something the UK government would like to see lowered,” Murray said. (dpa/NAN)