Great -Britain has become 'lazy' and depends on the US under the 'special relationship' and should look for new international friends because Donald Trump is less interested in it, former top diplomats in Washington warned today.
A trio ex-ambassadors told Peers that the Transatlantic Alliance, whose name was conceived by Winston Churchill, was of decreasing importance and would continue to lose relevance under the new administration.
They spoke with the International Relations and Defense Committee of the Lords, while the West continues to try to limit the damage caused by President Trump and what his efforts seem to be to tear the West apart and cozy to Russia.
On Monday, PM Sir Keir Starmer said that the UK should strengthen its relationship with the US, but will “never choose between both sides of the Atlantic.”
But the former diplomats proposed to forge closer ties with Europe and Commonwealth rich such as Canada and Australia.
Sir David Manning, who was in the British ambassador in the US between 2003 and 2007, said He did not always like the term 'special relationship' because it has'made us lazy now and then.
“We can always hope that the Americans will save us, we have this kind of alibi mentality, it means we don't have to look anywhere else … We will have to look somewhere else,” he said.
'What worries me about what has happened now is that the basis of the special relationship, supposedly, is about trust and it is about shared values. In the future … can we expect that that will continue?
Sir Peter Westmacott said that questions should be asked if the Trump government was 'interested and dedicated, the defense of Europe'. And Sir David Manning added that he did not always like the term 'special relationship' because it 'occasionally made lazy'.
They spoke with the International Relations and Defense Committee of the Lords, while the West continues to try to limit the damage caused by President Trump and what his efforts seem to be to tear the West apart and cozy to Russia.
'I think it is much more difficult to have faith in that, it seems to me that there has been a seismic change.
“Ukraine clearly illustrates this that we have admitted Ukrainians and (president) Zensky that we defend the values ​​we keep and that until recently defended the Americans. Now it seems to me that it is much less clear that is the case.
“We seem to have a president who is willing to bully the Ukrainians and in Cajole to do things that are not in their interest. That is clearly not where the UK is. '
Sir Peter Westmacott, who was in Washington between 2012 and 2016, said that the 'America First' mentality was always part of the American psyche in a relationship that was 'transactional'.
But he added that questions had to be asked whether the Trump administration 'was interested and dedicated, the defense of Europe, unlike the US, is part of a slightly different international order in which it is the big boys, China, Russian the US, who get what they want and the smaller countries have to … suffer on what they have to'.
He added: 'I don't think we still know the answer. I think the professional diplomatic people in the US are pretty clear about the relationship, I am not so sure about the new political leadership at the moment. '
Sir Nigel Sheinwald, who was an ambassador between 2007 and 2012, added:
'Historically, this relationship is, special, sustainable, essential, which adjective we attach to it, it is of decreasing importance in world matters.
The prime minister would be ready to make the journey with the Ukrainian president and Emmanuel Macron while trying to keep Donald Trump on the side
The American president hit a slightly more positive tone in a speech of the congress at night after the Lord Zensky sent him a begging letter after the bust of their oval office
'If you think of the power that Roosevelt and Churchill can use them individually between them, this is very different from the joint impact of the relationship today. This is mainly due to the decrease in the relative power of the UK, perhaps also the US.
“It is continuing and strengthened by working together in crises … In sweeping history it is less important and less needs to be placed on it than in the past.”
Sir Keir emphasized his visit to the White House to meet US President Donald Trump to strengthen the relationship between the two countries, and added the commons: “What happened in his subsequent meeting with (Ukraine) President Zensky is something that nobody wants to see in this house.
'But I want to be crystal clear: we have to strengthen our relationship with America – for our safety, for our technology, for our trade and investments. They are and will always be indispensable.
“And we will never choose between the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, if something has shown last week that that idea is totally unhealthy, because although some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side, this week with total clarity has shown that the US is vital in securing the peace that we all want to see in Ukraine. '
The prime minister could go to the White House with VolodyMyr Zensky in a desperate bid to save Western alliances.
The prime minister would be ready to make the journey with the Ukrainian president and Emmanuel Macron while trying to keep Donald Trump on the side.
The leaders could present a potential blueprint for peace with Russia, including a first air and ceases -the Furthermen, the UK and French troops on site to guarantee safety and an American backstop.
Downing Street -sources emphasized that nothing had been completed, but Paris confirmed that the prospect is on the table.
Defense Secretary John Healey is later in the Washington for conversations with counterparts.
The American president hit a slightly more positive tone in a speech of the congress at night after the Lord Zensky sent him a begging letter after the bust of their oval office.
Mr. Trump said he 'appreciated' the messageAdding that he wants to sign a deal for American companies to extract rare earth minerals from Ukraine. He also claimed that Vladimir Putin had sent 'strong signals' that he wants peace.
But Mr. Trump did not stop making fixed obligations, after he was dramatically announced that all military aid was suspended.
That led to panic in Europe in the midst of the fear that Kiev could not hold against Russia for long without American weapons.
