Yvette Cooper counters Trump criticism of Khan and praises Europe’s ‘strength’

Yvette Cooper has praised Europe’s “strength” after Donald Trump described nations on the continent as “decaying” and “weak” in an extraordinary attack on traditional allies of the US.

The Foreign Secretary also defended what she called Sir Sadiq Khan’s “excellent” record in City Hall after the president branded him a “disaster” and a “disgusting mayor”.

Answering questions from journalists following a speech to mark 100 years of the Locarno Pact, a series of peace treaties signed after the First World War, Ms Cooper said Europe had shown “determination” in its support for Kyiv.

Asked about the US leader’s views, the UK’s top diplomat said: “What I see in Europe is strength.

“The strength and commitment to… support Ukraine, and also to step up to the plate and to ensure that we are increasing our investment in defence, and also ensure that we are doing our bit through the coalition of the willing, as well as through investment in military support and the energy infrastructure support that Ukraine needs.”

She added: “When it comes to the Mayor of London, you will not be surprised that I of course take a strongly different view.

“I think the mayor is doing an excellent job for all of London.”

In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Trump had accused Europe of a failure to control immigration or end the Ukraine war and suggested some would “not be viable countries any longer” without changes to their border policy.

The US president also launched a fresh broadside against Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour ally Sir Sadiq, who he claimed had been elected “because so many people have come in”.

“I think they’re weak, but I also think that they want to be so politically correct… I think they don’t know what to do,” he told Politico podcast The Conversation.

Asked whether European nations would remain allies, Mr Trump said they would “change their ideology, obviously, because the people coming in have a totally different ideology.”

He said: “I mean, look at… your Mayor of London. He’s a disaster. He’s a disaster.

“He’s got a totally different ideology of what he’s supposed to have. And he gets elected because so many people have come in.”

The president added: “He’s a horrible mayor. He’s an incompetent mayor, but he’s a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job. London’s a different place.”

On Europe’s leaders, Mr Trump said: “Some are OK. I know the good leaders. I know the bad leaders. I know the smart ones. I know the stupid ones… but they’re not doing a good job. Europe is not doing a good job in many ways… And they’re not producing.

“We’re talking about Ukraine. They talk but they don’t produce. And the war just keeps going on and on. I mean, four years now it’s been going on, long before I got here,” he said.

The US leader’s remarks broadly echo rhetoric included in America’s new national security strategy, which questioned whether some European nations could remain “reliable allies” long-term.

The 33-page document also defined Washington’s policy on Europe as one of “cultivating resistance” to the “current trajectory” of countries on the continent.

It comes at a fragile moment in the war in Ukraine as sticking points remain in US-led efforts to broker a truce.

Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday reiterated his opposition to ceding any territory, resisting US pressure for a compromise with Russia as he continues to rally European support for Kyiv.

In his interview, Mr Trump again suggested the Ukrainian leader accept the American proposal to hand over land to Russia and argued Moscow retained the “upper hand”.

Ms Cooper said Ukraine must be able to decide its own future but insisted that her meeting with US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Monday had made Washington’s commitment to Nato “incredibly clear”.

Asked whether the UK was still confident that America would come to Europe’s defence in the event Russia launched an Article 5 attack against one of its allies, the Foreign Secretary said: “The discussions that I had with secretary of state Rubio yesterday were incredibly clear about the strength of the US commitment to Nato.

“That has always been, that is at the heart of our transatlantic partnership, and continues to be the case, and I think will continue to be so for the future as well.”

Downing Street denied it was failing to stand up for the London Mayor after declining to criticise the president’s attack on Sir Sadiq on Tuesday.

“The Prime Minister has a strong relationship with the US president and a strong relationship with the Mayor of London and on both is committed to working together to deliver stronger outcomes for the British people right across the country,” a No 10 spokesman said.

Asked by journalists why Downing Street would not defend the mayor against the remarks, he said: “I don’t accept that. As I’ve said, the Prime Minister has a strong relationship with the Mayor of London.”

No 10 refused to say whether the Prime Minister agreed with the president’s characterisation of Europe but insisted the Government was determined to “return control of the asylum system”.

Asked whether a determination to preserve the transatlantic relationship meant the president could say whatever he wanted to about Britain, the spokesman said: “I don’t think that’s a fair interpretation of this conversation.

“I think as I’ve set out, the US is our closest partner on trade and security. You’ve seen the strengths of that relationship and the positive outcomes that has had for the British people.”

He rejected suggestions Europe had failed to “produce anything” on Ukraine, saying: “Well I would reject that in terms of, you’ve seen the number of countries involved in the coalition of the willing discussions, you’ve also seen the work the UK has done in terms of leading the response on sanctions, including against the shadow fleet, but we strongly support the US peace process.”

It comes as US ambassador Warren Stephens was expected to visit Downing Street this afternoon.