British ministers have pushed back against Argentina's renewed claim to the Falkland Islands, insisting the islands remain British and that the islanders' right to self-determination is non-negotiable.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the statement by Argentine President Javier Milei on Thursday night “tells us more about domestic politics in Argentina than it does about the Falkland Islands.”
In a post on X, Streeting added: “The Falklands are British because Falkland Islanders choose to be British. Our commitment to the Falklands is absolute and unshakeable.”
UK ministers respond to Milei's 'winds of change' remarks
Education Secretary Lucy Powell also insisted the islands are British, stating: “We will defend the right of those who live in the Falkland Islands to determine their own future.”
The diplomatic spat follows comments by US President Donald Trump, who has questioned American support for British control of the islands. The US has traditionally remained neutral on Falklands sovereignty while recognising Britain's de facto control.
Britain and Argentina fought a war over the islands in 1982, when British forces defeated Argentine troops who had landed to stake a territorial claim.
Trump's remarks and oil development factor
In recent years, British oil company Rockhopper and Israeli company Navitas have been developing the Sea Lion oil field, located 140 miles north of the islands.
Asked on Monday whether he could review British sovereignty over the islands as leverage to push the UK to increase defence spending, Trump said: “I always review every position. That's just one of many.”
On Thursday, when asked whether the US would back the UK in the event of an Argentine invasion, Trump referred to the UK government's refusal to let him use British bases in his initial attack on Iran earlier this year.
“Don't forget, you get a big percentage of your oil from the Strait of Hormuz, and you weren't there to help me,” he told GB News. “Your country was not there to help me.”
Milei's statement and market impact
In his Thursday night statement, Milei highlighted Trump's comments, saying: “President Trump declared that the US is re-evaluating its historic position in relation to the Malvinas [the Argentine name for the Falklands].”
He added: “The US is considering this change of position because it knows that Argentina has a reliable partner, aligned with western values, in a strategically important position that can be a valuable ally in the decades to come.”
Milei also said that companies developing oil “behind the back of the Argentine government” would be barred from doing business in Argentina. Rockhopper's shares dropped 7% in early trading on Friday.
