The Brits are SO smart.

It’s on the BBC website. It’s an official communique from Downing Street.

I hope that the state invitation gets pushed back and pushed back and never really happens really.
But diplomatically It's such a cleverly calculated move, entirely coddling his ego while feeding him to the general public, oh the protests!

Other leaders won't be looking for newspaper quotes they'll be using X as quick and easy to see

Perhaps the potential trade deal is a factor for Starmer where it's not for others.

US uses economic might to get people to concede

It's carried in every newspaper.
I don't think the UK government should use Twitter at all. Leave them to rot in their own juices.

Where s his direct statement.

Soft power. What a load of tripe. As if the royal family holds any power or Trump gives a damn about it. That snivelling invitation showed nothing but the UK’s desperation and weakness and Trump is very very aware of it.

Starmer publicly licked Trump’s boots on the world stsge. It is sickening.

Stop wishing the UK is pulling the strings with this soft power rubbish. The UK has no
powert, Starmer knows it, Trump knows it.

Kind of weird there's nothing written down, like there is with other world leaders.

Starmer's comments were a read out from a spokesperson

Where and when was this said? Source?

When the presidents of multiple EU countries were quoted saying they stand with Ukraine, there was nothing quoted by Starmer?

Trump has silenced the UK, the royal family means absolutely nothing to Trump, other than his way of humiliating the snivelling Starmer on the world stage.

Wouldn’t be at all surprised if he makes Starmer say publicly that Putin didn’t start the war.

I’m pretty sure this is it and I’ve heard it before. He’s too arrogant to wear his glasses so he goes around not being able to see properly.

I think it also explains that clip of him repeatedly grabbing and missing the door handle on the garbage truck when he was on the campaign trail.

Where is this from? I've been looking for KS to say something on twitter but he hasn't.

Re Trump not reading the letter himself

My hypothesis is that he needs reading glasses and couldn't possibly be seen as weak enough to actually use them, especially in public. Twat.

We need a peace deal - much more thought and resources need to be spent on achieving one that holds.

Sending greater volumes of weapons might turn out to be more useful than moral support. And perhaps other European countries might want to do the same.

What are the stocks like?

I'm not sure how long Zelenskyy could fight without US that's the problem

Sending greater volumes of weapons might turn out to be more useful than moral support. And perhaps other European countries might want to do the same.

Starmer’s response to the Trump/Zelenskyy meeting-

“He retains unwavering support for Ukraine, and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine."

I agree. Literally - her job, as it is now Charles’ job. Soft diplomacy and all that.

I was supportive of Starmer, whilst realising it was high risk in view of Trump's unpredictability.

Realise now that was naive of me. The deliberate attempt to humiliate Zelenskyy yesterday was horrific. Maybe the whole thing was staged as an excuse to pull all support from Ukraine.

I’m really astonished people have this view.

Trump was completely aware what Starmer was doing and why. Trump’s quip asking if the letter from Charles had his signature on it because otherwise it wasn’t as meaningful. The UK thinks it was playing Trump but Trump is very aware he has the UK over a barrel.

And now the UK can’t even show they disapprove of Trump’s treatment of Zelenskyy. It’s embarrassing. .

Honestly having seen that disgusting treatment of Zelensky in the White House by Trump and Vance I think Trump has to be uninvited somehow. He’s a disgusting bully and shouldn’t be treated as a dignitary.

@Doingmybestbut "I understood why they did it but it just feels so cheap and demeaning. Thank goodness QEII isn’t around to have to deal with him visiting again."

It was LITERALLY her bloody job!!

My view of (some people’s) behaviour is extremely cynical. I also believe that a country bending over backwards to use its soft power wouldn’t allow a few idiots to disrupt all its efforts.

I can’t see anything wrong about protesting against Trump. If it’s in Scotland at least we’ll be spared the sight of that charlatan Sadiq Khan posturing in front of cameras somewhere in London.

The alternative is what Blair did when he got the Met to suppress protest against the Chinese premier. Shameful that was.

... the takeaway (of demonstrations) wouldn’t be ‘Wow, free speech!’ It would be ‘The Brits are good for nothing whiners who hate me; screw them’

Exactly, @Wildflowers99, but unfortunately some who relish a good demo - and have never quite got over the fact that Trump was elected - are unlikely to think of that

Doubtless it would make for a nice day out and lots of self-congratulatory SM posts, but whether it would actually help anything is something else again

Typo

Yup, this is literally the point of the royal family to suck this kind of crap up on the nation's behalf. We've already had William arselick successfully. They're worth every penny for this alone.

I have no doubt that in all this, Charles will have been very aware of what his late mother would have said, which would be on the lines of 'It's not about what you like or don't like. This is the job. Get on with it'. This is what having a royal family is for, and I expect them to give hosting Trump their best efforts.