United States President Donald Trump wrapped up his state visit to the UK on Thursday with sharp words for Russian President Vladimir Putin and a major technology partnership with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
A day after being honoured with royal pageantry at Windsor Castle, Trump flew to Chequers for high-level talks. Discussions focused on Ukraine, Gaza, trade, and illegal migration.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Trump said he once believed ending the Ukraine war would be “the easiest” task because of his personal ties with Putin. But he admitted that confidence had faded.
“He’s let me down. He’s really let me down,” Trump declared, urging European nations to halt purchases of Russian oil to choke Moscow’s war funding.
Starmer, who has sought to bridge Trump with European allies, pressed for stronger global pressure on Moscow.
His approach appeared to gain traction with the US president, who repeated calls for decisive action against Russia.
The two leaders also clashed over the UK’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state, which Trump opposed.
Still, Starmer’s warm engagement with the 79-year-old Republican helped soften tensions in the ongoing tariff disputes.
Earlier, both leaders signed a sweeping technology agreement covering artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, and quantum computing.
The deal follows pledges of £150 billion ($205 billion) in US investment from tech giants including Microsoft, Google, and Blackstone.
At the ceremony, Starmer said he and Trump were “leaders who genuinely like each other.” Trump in turn described the UK-US relationship as an “unbreakable bond.”
The visit also carried symbolic weight. Trump praised King Charles III as a “great gentleman and a great king” after leaving Windsor.
On Wednesday night, he had been hosted at a lavish state banquet, calling it “one of the highest honours of my life.”
Despite protests in London, Starmer’s team hailed the visit as a success, pointing to new investments and deeper alignment on Ukraine.
The Prime Minister also appealed to Trump’s admiration for Winston Churchill, showing him wartime artifacts at Chequers.
Trump was set to return to Washington later Thursday, while his wife, Melania, spent the morning in Windsor with Queen Camilla and Princess Catherine.