LONDON: US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the urgent need to get shipping moving again in the Strait of Hormuz during a call on Sunday, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
“The leaders discussed the urgent need to get shipping moving again in the Strait of Hormuz, given the severe consequences for the global economy and cost of living for people in the UK and globally,” the spokesperson for Starmer’s office said in a statement.
The statement further calls for the prime minister to share the latest progress on his joint initiative with President Emmanuel Macron to restore freedom of navigation.
“The prime minister shared the latest progress on his joint initiative with President (Emmanuel) Macron to restore freedom of navigation,” the spokesperson added.
Starmer and Macron co-chair the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative, involving over 50 countries, to reopen the waterway once hostilities cease.
The plan combines diplomatic, economic and military readiness for merchant-ship protection.
Previous details show that military planners from the UK and France convened on April 22 for detailed operational planning of the mission to reopen the shipping lane.
It was observed that oil prices plunged following the announcement reflecting the volatility of energy markets.
Relations between Starmer and Trump have been somewhat strained, with the US president taking to his Truth Social platform to criticise the UK’s decision to maintain a defensive stance in the US-Iran war.
“Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. It is a huge relief that the President, the First Lady and all those attending are safe,” Starmer said in a social media post earlier.
It is widely hoped that next week’s State Visit to the US by King Charles III will help smooth over some of the impact on the UK-US so-called special relationship.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to arrive in Washington DC on Monday as part of a four-day royal tour to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Buckingham Palace said the 77-year-old monarch is being kept “fully informed” of the developments and is “greatly relieved” that Trump and others at the dinner in Washington were unharmed.
“A number of discussions will be taking place throughout the day to discuss with US colleagues and our respective teams to what degree the events of Saturday evening may or may not impact on the operational planning for the visit,” the palace said in a statement.
Charles is also due to deliver an address to the US Congress, followed by a State Dinner at the White House. The royals will then proceed to New York to pay tributes at the September 11 attacks memorial and visit a grassroots community organisation.
