President Donald Trump has opened the door to a possible revision of the U.S. position on the Malvinas, a signal that could increase tensions between Washington and London. However, their statements do not mean support for Argentina’s historic claim on the archipelago, but would be linked to pressure from the White House for the UK to increase its military spending.
Trump responded on Monday to questions from journalists at the Oval Office about the versions that the United States is considering withdrawing its support for British sovereignty over the islands. “I always check all positions. That’s just one among many,” the president said. The statement came after reports published in British media that the Pentagon is considering various measures to pressure London to meet its commitment to raise its defense spending to 5 percent, a goal promoted by Washington within NATO.
Among the options considered would be to modify the U.S. position regarding the Malvinas, a measure that could be used as a tool of diplomatic pressure on the British government.
Trump is pressuring R. As it has happened with leaks to the press, today he assured that he reviews his position on the sovereignty of "Malvinas" "I always review every position, that is only one of many" "??R.U. you have some problems, but they will be solved”pic.twitter.com/gzvpHl2P86 https://t.co/leSDRttMUz
The U.S. position over the Malvinas has been officially described as neutral. Washington does not formally recognize Argentine sovereignty over the islands, but it has also not established that the United Kingdom has full sovereignty over the territory. At the same time, it recognizes that Londonins the “de facto” control and administration of the archipelago.
The U.S. ambassador to Argentina, Peter Lamelas, recently said that the position of neutrality remains unchanged.
For Argentina, any change in Washington’s policy would have a special meaning. Buenos Airesins its claim for sovereignty over the islands, while the United Kingdom rejects that claim. The dispute led both countries to a war in 1982, when Argentine forces occupied the islands and the United Kingdom responded with a military operation. The war ended on June 14 with the Argentine surrender. 649 Argentinians, 255 British and three islanders were killed.
Since then, the sovereignty continues to be the cause of a diplomatic dispute. The United Nations considers the Malvinas a territory “pending on decolonization” and has called on Argentina and the United Kingdom to resolve the conflict through negotiations.
In 2013, the islanders voted overwhelmingly in favour ofining their bond with the UK in a referendum in which more than 99 percent supported that option. For now, Trump has not announced an official change in Washington’s policy. Their statements, however, again place the Malvinas in the midst of a broader negotiation on European allies’ military spending and the U.S.-UK relationship.
