Starmer still hasn't spoken to Trump amid fears over Greenland plans

Keir Starmer still has not spoken to Donald Trump since the Venezuela drama - despite rising fears the US will target Greenland next. The PM has been desperately trying to avoid criticising the president over the ousting and arrest of dictator Nicolas Maduro. Other countries have insisted the action smashed international law, with Mr Trump saying he is now effectively in control of the oil-rich South American country.

Senior White House figures have been talking up the prospect of more interventions, with the strategic Danish territory of Greenland high on the list. Sir Keir has joined Copenhagen in warning that must not happen, with alarm that it would mean the end of the Nato alliance that has maintained global peace since the Second World War. Pictured: Keir Starmer with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Sir Keir is heading for France today for talks with 'Coalition of the Willing' partners about Ukraine- but the wider behaviour of the US is certain to feature. The PM is thought to have been trying to contact Mr Trump since the Venezuela operation on Saturday. There have been suggestions the leaders could talk on the phone after the meeting in Paris. In a sign of escalation last night, outspoken White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller flatly declared that Greenland 'should be part of the United States'. He also insisted that no country would dare fight Washington over the Arctic territory's future.

In a combative appearance on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper, Mr Miller brushed aside repeated questions about whether the US might use military force to seize Greenland, currently governed by Denmark. 'Nobody's gonna fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,' he said. Pressed directly on whether military intervention was off the table, Mr Miller did not deny the possibility. Instead, he challenged Denmark's sovereignty over the island. 'What is the basis of their territorial claim?' Miller asked.

'What is their basis of having Greenland as a colony of Denmark? The United States is the power of Nato. For the United States to secure the Arctic region, to protect and defend Nato and Nato interests, obviously, Greenland should be part of the United States, and so that's a conversation that we're going to have as a country.' The extraordinary comments came after Mr Trump again refused to rule out taking Greenland by force, deepening fears among European allies that the administration is prepared to redraw borders inside Nato in the name of US 'national security'.

Danish PM Mette Frederiksen has warned that efforts to take over the territory by force would mean the end of the Nato military alliance. Health Secretary Wes Streeting (pictured) told Sky News this morning that the UK and Nato were 'doubling down' on their support for Denmark, adding that Greenland was 'already part of the team' contributing to the alliance's collective security. He said: 'At a time when we can see the security of Nato members and the alliance at threat, particularly from Russia, but also from our other adversaries, this is not the time to destabilise Nato and to undermine our collective security.'

Mr Streeting's comments follow Ms Frederiksen's remarks to Danish broadcaster TV2, in which she said: 'If the United States chooses to attack another Nato country militarily, then everything stops. 'That is including our Nato and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War.' Sir Keir has said the UK 'stands with' Denmark on Greenland.