Keir Starmer refuses to answer simple Putin question in BBC Breakfast car crash interview
During a live interview on BBC Breakfast from Washington D.C., Prime Minister Keir Starmer avoided answering a direct question about Vladimir Putin. Starmer was in the U.S. for peace talks alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump, after meeting other European leaders at the White House.
The interviewer asked him a straightforward question: “How did you personally feel when you saw Putin being given a red carpet welcome?” Instead of giving a clear response, Starmer shifted the focus. He said, “I support President Trump’s efforts to bring about a lasting outcome and peaceful settlement of this conflict that has been going on for over three years now. Today has shown that we have moved forward, and for me, the real test has always been whether we are making genuine progress.”
His answer didn’t directly address the red carpet question, and many viewers felt he sounded overly prepared and rehearsed.
The event in question happened when Putin traveled from Moscow to Alaska to meet Trump. A red carpet was rolled out for the Russian leader, and the two men posed for photographs, shaking hands before watching a flyover of U.S. fighter jets and a stealth bomber. Reporters shouted difficult questions at Putin, including one about civilian deaths in Ukraine, but he ignored them and gave no response.
On the BBC show, Starmer went on to highlight the sense of unity at the talks, stressing that European leaders, Zelensky, and Trump were all focused on working together. He emphasized that important steps had been taken regarding security agreements and international cooperation. He also insisted that decisions about Ukrainian territory must be left to Ukraine itself, repeating the principle: “No decision about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
Starmer wrapped up by saying he believed the day’s discussions were both productive and meaningful. He presented himself as someone focused on hard work and practical results, adding: “Roll your sleeves up, do the hard work, prepare for the right outcomes, and today I’m really pleased.”
