British Prime Minister Boris Johnson heads into this weekend’s Group of 7 summit with a particular distinction: Of all the leaders taking part, none has been the recipient of such lavish praise from President Trump.
The U.S. president has called him a “good man,” a leader who can get things done, and — perhaps Trump’s highest accolade — Britain’s Trump.
With the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline 10 weeks away and no terms of Britain’s divorce from the remaining 27 EU nations in hand, a public show of solidarity from Washington could help bolster Johnson’s claims that the pain of breaking with the bloc will be offset, at some point, by a robust and far-reaching new trade arrangement with the United States.At the same time, a too-tight embrace from Trump does little to endear Johnson to the British public, which is notably unenthusiastic about the U.S.
At home, where Johnson may soon face a general election, some veteran British politicians have warned Johnson about too much chumminess with Trump. The G-7 gathering in the French resort of Biarritz comes on the heels of Johnson’s first major diplomatic foray: talks this week with Europe’s most powerful leaders, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the meeting’s host, French President Emmanuel Macron.
“The Good Friday agreement” — which established an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland — “needs to be preserved and respected,” Merkel said briskly. Macron echoed: “Irish peace is European peace, and we shouldn’t weaken that just because of a British crisis.”
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