SIR Keir Starmer says he wants to meet Donald Trump – as he slapped down a Labour minister who attacked the presidential candidate.
The PM revealed his desire to have talks with both the Republican nominee and his rival Kamala Harris before November’s election.
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A meeting is on the cards as early as today at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
While stressing his focus of the summit was on the Middle East, Sir Keir told reporters: “As far as the candidates are concerned, look, if possible, it would be very good to meet both of them at some stage before the election.
“We’ll just have to see what’s possible. But, I mean, I’m going for the General Assembly. I don’t doubt that a lot of time is going to be spent on the Middle Eastern and Ukraine.”
The Labour leader has never met either Trump or Harris, whose November 2 White House battle is on a knife edge.
Handing Ukraine a victory
By Jack ElsomChief Political Correspondent
UKRAINE’S ability to fire long-range missiles at Russia is not the “sole issue” that will hand them victory, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
President Zelensky is desperate for Western leaders to give him the green-light to attack Putin’s territory with their weapons.
The debate among allies will continue at the United Nations General Assembly in New York today but is not expected to reach a decision.
Sir Keir last night dampened expectations of a breakthrough despite support for Ukraine remaining “resolute”.
He said: “I don’t think the victory plan will be about a sole issue like long-range missiles, it will be about a strategic, overarching route for Ukraine to find a way through this and succeed against Russian aggression.”
US President Joe Biden is understood to be reluctant to allow Ukraine to use Western rockets to hit targets inside Russia.
Tyrant Putin has previously warned this would amount to an act of war.
But any discussions with the Republican firebrand risks being soured after one of his ministers sparked a row.
Home Office minister Angela Eagle accused the 45th President of emboldening racists in Britain with “vitriol” against migrants.
It sparked fury from Trump’s camp, with a spokesman blasting: “Nobody knows who this random person is or cares what comes out of her mouth.”
Attempting to defuse the rift, Sir Keir said: “I think I’ve been absolutely clear where responsibility lies for the disorder on our streets. It lies with the thugs who were carrying out that disorder.
“That’s why I took control of the process to ensure that justice was visited very quickly on their cases.
“I was really clear in my conference speech about responsibility. It lies with those that were on the streets causing the disorder, and I made clear what should happen to them.
“But as I said in my conference speech we’ve got to distinguish that from the genuine discussion that we do need to have as a country about immigration.”
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