Macron and Starmer have disagreement over aid to Ukraine within "coalition of willing" - Politico
Cracks have begun to appear in the relationship between French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which threatens to split the "coalition of the willing" in support of Ukraine in the war.
According to Censor.NET, Politico reports this with reference to anonymous sources among diplomats
They said that in France, they began to express irritation with the way the UK decided to interact with Trump amid the desire to keep him in the negotiations for peace in Ukraine. In London, they were irritated by Paris's approach.
In turn, some in London accuse Macron of "having one eye on his own legacy" in his international postures as he nears the end of his time in office.
According to a former British diplomat Macron had "done some stroking but not as much as we have" when it comes to Trump’s ego. Politico source described Starmer’s strategy in dealing with the US president as "shameless but necessary."
Meanwhile, one of the experts close to Macron said that the British prime minister is "much more cautious" when it comes to dealing with the White House.
Another reason for the split between the French and British leaders is the US tariffs. Macron is likely unhappy with the agreement on easing duties on British goods that Starmer reached with Trump, while France remains subject to US sanctions.
In addition, there are tensions within the "coalition of the willing" for Ukraine, led by the UK and France. According to two French officials, the coalition lacks a clear plan, in part because of London's alleged overemphasis on security guarantees from the United States, which it has not provided.
