British media says Milei will make the first visit by an Argentine president to the UK in 27 years

Javier Milei will be the first president of Argentina to visit the United Kingdom in the 21st century, according to statements made by the far-right leader and reported by the British media. The trip is meant to take place in 2026, and Milei said he will seek to meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and also with the far-right leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage. The Argentine president’s remarks were published on Wednesday by The Telegraph and have been reported by various other British media outlets. So far, there has been no official confirmation from the Argentine government.

The last Argentine president to visit London was Carlos Menem (1989-1999), 27 years ago, in October 1998. Milei’s plan, according to the article, is to travel there next April or May. “It would be a visit I would learn a lot from,” he stated, adding that he had also invited Starmer to an official meeting in Buenos Aires. He praised Farage for his views on Brexit.

According to the British media outlet, Milei also asserted that his government is working to have the United Kingdom lift or ease restrictions on the sale of British military equipment to the South American country, restrictions imposed as a result of the Falklands War. When asked about the existence of negotiations in this regard, Milei responded affirmatively: “Absolutely,” he said. The same newspaper cites British government sources who denied these talks.

Following the 1982 conflict, and while Argentina maintains its claim to sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (known in Argentina as the Malvinas), the United Kingdom has prevented the South American nation from acquiring weapons or equipment with British components in order to avoid increasing the country’s military capacity. Milei’s unconditional alignment with the United States, particularly with Donald Trump, could — according to various sources — encourage a relaxation of these restrictions, to strengthen a U.S. ally in the region, especially in the South Atlantic.

“There are no world powers without military power,” Milei is quoted as saying. “There is no country that counts in the international context if they can’t defend their borders.” His government is reaffirming the role of the armed forces and insisting on the need to equip and strengthen them. Over the past weekend, F-16 fighter jets purchased from Denmark arrived in Buenos Aires.

In the interview published this Wednesday and widely reported by British media outlets, Milei reiterated his position on Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. “There’s no way I would give up on or relinquish territory, but it is clear that individuals will end up voting with their feet,” he said. “Since I consider that the solution is to be sought through peaceful and diplomatic solutions, I think that the best way to show the willingness on the part of Argentina is to show that we also have a commercially adult relationship.”

On several occasions, the president’s position on the Falkland Islands has generated controversy in Argentina, because it implies acknowledging the right to sovereign self-determination of the islands’ inhabitants. This right is defended by the United Kingdom, but Argentina has historically rejected it, arguing that the islands’ population was established during the period of colonization. Milei has shown signs of rapprochement with the United Kingdom, such as the resumption of flights to the Falklands, and has always declared himself an admirer of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Milei marked two years as president of Argentina on December 10. He spent the anniversary in Norway, where he had traveled to be at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony honoring Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. He was scheduled to meet with King Harald V and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, but surprisingly canceled his activities in Oslo and returned to Buenos Aires early, where he was expected to land on Thursday.

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