The free trade agreement between the US and Great Britain is still on hold. Reason are disagreements about the Northern Ireland agreement with the EU. Shortly before her first US visit, the new British Prime Minister Liz Truss sees no chance for early negotiations.
Great Britain is burying its hopes of a free trade agreement with the USA for the time being. “There are currently no negotiations taking place with the United States, and I do not expect them to start in the short to medium term,” new Prime Minister Liz Truss told reporters on the flight to New York for the UN General Assembly. British government circles said that talks are not expected to start for years.
According to commentators, Truss’ statements are intended to prevent her first meeting with US President Joe Biden from being viewed as a failure. Truss has repeatedly announced that it would unilaterally change or rescind an agreement with the EU on special Brexit rules for Northern Ireland. Biden, who has Irish roots, has repeatedly criticized this plan and threatened that if it did, the free trade agreement would be a long way off. Truss tried to downplay the importance of a deal with the US. Trade agreements with India and Arab countries and accession to the Pacific Trade Agreement (CPTTP) have priority, said the head of government.
Brexit advocates had campaigned for leaving the EU on the grounds that Great Britain would then be able to conclude a bilateral trade agreement with the USA much more easily. Brexit and the Northern Ireland dispute are also likely to be the focus of the bilateral meetings between the new Prime Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Truss also promised Ukraine continued British support. For next year, she pledged at least £2.3 billion (€2.6 billion) in military aid. You will reach at least the same amount as this year. The exact details should be determined “based on the needs of Ukraine’s armed forces,” the government said in London. The aids probably included multiple rocket launchers, among other things.
“My message to the people of Ukraine is that the UK will continue to stand by you every step of the way. Your safety is our safety,” Truss said, according to the statement. “Ukraine’s victories over the past few weeks have been inspiring. Time and time again, these brave people have defied the doubters and shown what is possible when given the military, economic and political support they need.”
Britain says it has delivered hundreds of missiles, 5 anti-aircraft systems, 120 armored vehicles and more than 200,000 pieces of equipment such as night vision goggles to Ukraine so far. In addition, a total of 27,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained since 2015.
