US President Donald Trump arrived on an unprecedented second state visit to the UK, greeted by a wave of criticism from London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who accused the US leader of doing more than anyone else to strengthen the positions of the intolerant far right around the world, writes the British newspaper "Guardian", writes BTA.
The publication reports that at the last minute before Trump's controversial visit "a plan to announce a final agreement to remove tariffs on British aluminum and steel in the US has failed". The newspaper added that this comes amid criticism in the UK of Trump's policies and rhetoric, such as from organizations such as "Stop Trump", which gathered for a protest in Windsor and is planning another demonstration in central London.
"The Guardian" points out that despite plans for demonstrations against the US president, the program for his visit suggests that he is unlikely to see any of them.
"But as with any interaction with Trump, the visit is fraught with uncertainty and political risk for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, especially regarding the planned joint press conference at the "Chequers" residence, the newspaper added.
"The Guardian" also commented that the American president, "whose love of pomp and pageantry is well known, will join King Charles III for a carriage procession to "Windsor" Castle, accompanied by the Royal Household Cavalry Regiment."
Another British newspaper – The Financial Times reports that British officials, who have been carefully planning the event for months, complain that "the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein will hang over the visit after the dismissal last week of the British ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over further revelations about his ties to the disgraced financier." The newspaper explains that the visit was conceived as part of a "carefully prepared offensive to win over Trump at a time when there is a high risk that the US will abandon Ukraine and destroy the European security architecture that has been formed since World War II." The newspaper quotes British officials as saying that Starmer's efforts to befriend Trump have played a key role in maintaining the American leader's commitment to Ukraine, as well as in achieving more favorable trade terms compared to the EU. The Financial Times added that the visit remains fraught with potential pitfalls, not least Trump's own relationship with Epstein, "which is notoriously a sensitive subject for the president."
"America and Britain were pillars of the world order. The world has changed", the American newspaper "Washington Post" headlined.
From the Middle East to the streets of Washington, from the steppes of Ukraine to the plains of Sudan, Trump's visit is taking place against a backdrop of global division, chaos and destruction that no ceremony can disguise and no historic alliance has been able to resolve, the newspaper wrote. According to the newspaper, "the institutions that once provided stability - international alliances, multilateral agreements, shared democratic values - are now under pressure from the same leaders who gather to celebrate them."
The publication writes that Trump is widely perceived as a destabilizing factor in transatlantic relations, rather than a mediator. "One thing the American and British leaders have in common is that they are deeply unpopular – and they seem to have little to gain from being seen together", summarizes "The Washington Post".
King Charles rolls out the red carpet to woo Trump, writes in a headline in another American newspaper – – "The Wall Street Journal". The publication commented that "because of its declining military and economic power, Britain is relying on its monarchy to maintain good relations with the Trump administration."
The newspaper added that King Charles, Prince William and more than 1,500 soldiers will welcome President Trump at Windsor Castle in an attempt to "please the American president and strengthen diplomatic relations with the most Anglophile American leader in decades."
For its part, the European edition of the magazine "Politico" writes that Ukraine's allies are doing everything they can "to keep Donald Trump on their side. This week, that includes engaging the king.".
The publication notes that this will be the first American president to be officially welcomed at "Windsor" – another unprecedented element of Trump's second state visit to the country.
According to the magazine, the hope is that "the royal offensive will help Starmer convince Trump that he needs to put more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin in the pursuit of peace in Ukraine." The publication adds that although it is not on the agenda of the visit, political and royal advisers expect the topic to be raised behind the scenes.
"Politico" commented that the British prime minister has a weapon that many other European leaders do not have: "a sympathetic monarch who has quietly but consistently demonstrated his support for Kiev and is willing to do everything he can to repel US skepticism about the cause." The magazine notes that the American president has deep respect and affection for the royal family, and London will use this.
If Britain's main task so far has been to try to keep Trump in the efforts to negotiate peace in Ukraine, "then the king will contribute to these efforts with more grandiose gestures than most countries," concludes "Politico".