US President Donald Trump has arrived in Scotland, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA. The visit to his personal estate in Thornbury is of a private nature, but in addition to golf, it will also include bilateral talks, the world agency specified.
"I will meet with many people, including the leader of the EU", Trump said after getting off his plane at Prestwick Airport.
The possible "deal with the European Union would be the largest" since he became US president for a second term (since January 20 this year), if "it is achieved", the American head of state said upon his arrival.
Trump told media representatives after landing that during his five-day visit he would visit his two golf estates and meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he called "a highly respected woman", Reuters reported.
After being welcomed at the airport by hundreds of his supporters, the American head of state repeated what he said upon leaving the US, that the chances of a trade deal with the EU were "50 to 50". He specified that there were still "controversial moments" with Brussels on "maybe twenty different things", Reuters reported.
Trump said his meeting with Starmer would be less about business than about celebrating the trade deal that has already been agreed between the two countries. "It's a great deal for both sides", Trump said.
He also said he was looking forward to meeting with Scotland's First Minister John Sweeney, PA Media and DPA reported.
"The Scottish leader is a good man, I look forward to meeting him", the US president said, adding that "he loves Scotland very much".
Sweeney himself told PA Media that the meeting with Trump would be "an opportunity to talk about Scotland in substance" in terms of trade turnover, for example.
"There are certainly international issues on which the people of Scotland have an opinion and want it to be expressed by the First Minister," said the head of the Scottish government.
"It concerns the situation in the Gaza Strip and the unbearable human suffering there," John Sweeney pointed out.