Following a tense meeting between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last month, EU foreign policy chief Carl Bildt declared: "The free world needs a new leader." This has sparked speculation about whether UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer could potentially be that leader, stepping into a pivotal role on the global stage.
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03-24, 2025While French President Macron took to social media to praise Ukrainians for "fighting for their dignity, their independence, their children, and the security of Europe," Starmer spoke directly with both Trump and Zelenskyy and began formulating a plan aimed at bringing peace to Ukraine. Trump's policies continue to divide American voters and the international community, while the British Prime Minister appears to be benefiting from this contrast, positioning himself as a potential mediator.
Despite securing a landslide victory in last July's election, Starmer has struggled to achieve particularly high approval ratings among voters. However, this is beginning to change. Following a series of intense international diplomatic engagements regarding Ukraine, the British Prime Minister's approval rating rose to a six-month high of 31% in an early March YouGov poll, indicating a growing public confidence in his leadership.
"He's a very serious man at a very serious time," Tom Baldwin, author of "Keir Starmer: A Biography," told ABC. He added: "The performative politics of a Boris Johnson and a Trump is not his style." Starmer sat in the same Oval Office seat as Zelenskyy, just 48 hours before the now infamous conflict erupted, but he received a warm welcome, setting a different tone for international relations.
Indeed, Starmer's immediate call to Trump after being shot at during a campaign event last year, and the charm offensive undertaken by the British government ahead of the US election, may have played a role in this. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who once called Trump a "racist Ku Klux Klanner and Nazi sympathizer" during his time in opposition, like others, spent months trying to build bridges with Republicans. The British Labour Party, which calls Kamala Harris' Democrats their sister party, believes it has made progress and was pleased that Lammy was even "offered an extra chicken" during meetings with Trump and his team—a gesture that, according to all parties, undoubtedly indicated the US president liked you.
Starmer also appointed Lord Peter Mandelson, one of Labour's most effective political operatives and the architect of Tony Blair's landslide victory in the 1990s, as the British Ambassador to the United States. Starmer certainly hopes all of this will put his government in a favorable position to act as a "bridge" between Europe and the US in what he later called Trump's return to power. His team doesn't want to miss any opportunities to strengthen ties.
To secure US security guarantees for Ukraine during his visit to the White House, Starmer pulled out all the stops, including personally delivering a second state visit invitation from King Charles in front of the world's media. Starmer called the offer "unprecedented" and "very special." This pleased Trump but also drew strong opposition from some British MPs, who considered it unnecessary, arguing for a more measured approach to diplomacy.
"He simply won't mind some people on the political left thinking he's being a bit too obsequious to Trump—he doesn't care," Mr. Baldwin said. "Nor does he mind people saying he looks a bit wooden or boring… what matters is the result." While no US security guarantees were secured, nor was a new US-UK trade deal signed, the meeting was welcomed by a British public unnerved by the disintegration of the Anglo-American transatlantic alliance. This suggests that the so-called "special relationship" between the US and the UK may not be under threat during a time of global turmoil.
Starmer himself has stated that he wants to be a "bridge" between the US and Europe, but polls show that the public lacks confidence in his ability to deal with Trump. A week after the meeting, the public had a more optimistic view of his handling of the Ukraine issue. Days after Zelenskyy and Trump clashed at the White House, Starmer hosted the Ukrainian president at Downing Street. Starmer also convened a meeting of world leaders to discuss the war and Europe's response to it, the first of what he and French President Macron hope will be a new approach to taking the lead that, in the worst case scenario, may not include the US.
He called it a "coalition of the willing," and the collective response could see troops from several European countries stationed in Ukraine under a peace agreement. Mr. Baldwin said this is the kind of practical action Starmer excels at. "He doesn't have those three-word slogans and grand political visions, he gives the impression of being a slightly gray figure, in some ways a bit like (Prime Minister) Albanese, (Albanese) who's been in politics all his life… (Starmer is) an ordinary person in politics," he said.
Starmer was the first in his family to attend university. His father was a toolmaker, and his mother was disabled. After completing law school, he became a prominent human rights lawyer before becoming Chief Prosecutor and head of the National Crown Prosecution Service. His allies would say that he is rarely daunted by enormous challenges and is no stranger to David and Goliath-style battles from his time as a lawyer. He represented two environmental activists against McDonald's in a case known as "McLibel," the longest trial in British legal history.
Mr. Baldwin said Starmer's background is "a combination of outsider-insider" that has shaped his approach to political life. "His own seriousness and his disdain for the performative politics and that shallow, day-to-day politics, in which that constitutes the nation's political debate, has now found its moment," Mr. Baldwin reflected, suggesting a shift in public sentiment towards more substantive leadership.
Starmer's Labour Party was elected on a mandate for change. While his performance on the international stage has been largely well-received, Luke Tryl of the think tank More in Common (MiC) said he faces significant resistance at home. "Keir Starmer hasn't had the typical honeymoon period that you'd expect from a new Prime Minister," Mr. Tryl said, highlighting the challenges of governing in a complex political landscape.
Years of Conservative rule, scandals under Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss's brief and dramatic time in the top job helped Labour win the election. Long-standing disaffection has also helped the far-right Reform UK party gain a foothold. So far, polls suggest the public has not been particularly impressed by the new Labour government or Starmer's performance, indicating a need for stronger public engagement and policy delivery.
The British economy has been struggling since Brexit, meaning sluggish growth and little improvement in living standards for the public for years. Voters were caught off guard by a controversial decision made by Starmer's government to means-test a benefit for pensioners to help them pay for winter fuel costs. Mr. Tryl said people seem to feel that the public's desire for a new era sometimes clashes with Starmer's "steady" leadership style, creating a disconnect between expectations and perceived actions.
Just as his response to the war in Ukraine did, riots in Southport that resulted in the deaths of three children provided him with a domestic opportunity to respond to a crisis. But MiC polling found that at one point, Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right Reform UK party, was a more popular prime minister than Starmer. "Trump's handling of Ukraine… has given Keir Starmer an opportunity to reintroduce himself to the public, to reset his premiership," Mr. Tryl said, emphasizing the potential for a turning point in public perception.
Following the Oval Office meeting and international work on Ukraine, he once again led Farage by six points in the MiC poll. His approval rating also improved by 12 points but remained at a negative 27 in MiC's numbers. "That seems to be directly related to his handling of Ukraine," Mr. Tryl said. "That steady, reassuring leadership is giving people what they need. People are very unnerved by Trump, Ukraine and global affairs, and they quite like the idea of having an 'adult' in charge, to use a very hackneyed phrase," highlighting the appeal of stability in uncertain times.
He said: "37% of the public say the conflict has made them think more positively of Keir Starmer, including 28% of people who didn't vote Labour, and in particular, he's being praised for trying to be a bridge between the US and Europe—48% think that's a good idea, and only 16% think it's a bad idea." Despite his change in fortunes, Mr. Tryl is unsure whether Ukraine will become the defining issue of his premiership, acknowledging the complexity of long-term political impact.
"While Ukraine might get him a hearing again from voters, his future will be decided in 2028 on whether people can get GP appointments more easily, whether he's made progress on solving the Channel crossings, and whether the cost of the weekly shop is more affordable for people?" Tom Baldwin is less sure these issues will continue to dominate politics in Britain or Australia, suggesting a potential shift in priorities on the global stage.
He said: "I wonder whether the X factor in your upcoming election will also be Donald Trump." "He doesn't care if China dominates your region, and he doesn't care if Russia dominates Eastern Europe. That will have profound implications. I wonder whether all politics, including Australian politics, will cease to be about living standards and GP appointments, and will actually be about how we keep safe in a genuinely dangerous world in the coming years?" raising concerns about the potential impact of international relations on domestic politics.
Kim Darroch, former British Ambassador to the United States, was affected by Trump's erratic personality after his private communications criticizing the president were leaked. He is a member of the House of Lords and a board member of Best for Britain, a group dedicated to strengthening ties between Britain and Europe. Mr. Darroch said: "The irony here is that Donald Trump has done more to push Britain closer to Europe than any campaigning group could have done, because of what seems to be emerging as the US policy on Ukraine, and his apparent intention to basically withdraw the US from Europe," highlighting the unintended consequences of political actions.
He said the most pressing issue for the Starmer government is the economy. Starmer is facing increasing pressure to choose between securing a US-UK trade deal and rebuilding Britain's trade relationship with the EU, although Downing Street denies that the two ambitions are mutually exclusive. He said: "The government opposed rejoining the single market, opposed rejoining the EU customs union in its pre-election campaign pledges. I think that's regrettable," expressing concern about the limitations of current policy.
"We need to move faster and have a stronger, looser economic and commercial relationship with Europe. I think we should be more ambitious than the government's fairly modest proposals so far, which include security agreements with Europe and phytosanitary agreements, and possibly doing something on youth movement—it seems a rather thin agenda for such a big challenge." He said the "coalition of the willing" on Ukraine, and the consensus among countries on the need to increase defense spending across the continent, provides an opportunity for Britain and Europe to reset relations post-Brexit, fostering collaboration in crucial areas.
"Given that Britain is one of the two major military powers in Europe other than France, it means that we will inevitably come together. Really, it's a necessity, but I also think it's desirable," he said. Starmer is due to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in May to review the trade and cooperation agreement reached post-Brexit, signaling a potential for further dialogue and collaboration.
