Argentina demands bilateral Falklands talks as Trump weighs US policy shift

Argentina has reactivated its long-standing diplomatic challenge to British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, with Vice President Victoria Villarruel asserting that the territory’s residents should return to the United Kingdom if they wish to maintain their British identity.

The renewed claim by Buenos Aires follows reports that US President Donald Trump has threatened to review Washington’s official stance on the archipelago—referred to in Argentina as the Malvinas—after the UK reportedly declined to join a potential military conflict against Iran.

President Javier Milei, a key regional ally of Trump, reiterated the claim last week, stating: “The Malvinas islands have always belonged to Argentina in the past, today, and in the future.”

Deepening the rhetoric, Vice President Villarruel issued a statement via social media, arguing that the status of the islands is a matter strictly between sovereign states.

“Today, the Malvinas islands belong to Argentina more than ever,” Villarruel wrote. “The discussion regarding the sovereignty of our islands is between states; therefore, the United Kingdom must discuss our claim bilaterally with Argentina, which we maintain for legal, historical, and geographical reasons. The Kelpers are British people living on Argentine territory; they are not part of this discussion. If they feel British, they should return to their country, thousands of kilometers away.”

The call for a resumption of negotiations over the islands’ future comes amid signals from Buenos Aires that it believes the US may shift its historical neutrality to support Argentine sovereignty claims. Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno has formally demanded an “end to British colonialism” and called for new bilateral talks to reach a “peaceful and definitive solution.”

The Falkland Islands government condemned the suggestion that the Trump administration might review its position. Local officials pointed to the 2013 referendum, in which 99.8% of the population voted to remain a British Overseas Territory. While Argentina has dismissed the referendum as a “sham” and accused London of “population planting,” the island government maintained its “full confidence” in the UK’s commitment to defending their right to self-determination.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly reacted sharply to leaked Pentagon emails suggesting a review of the US position, while British veterans have accused the Trump administration of “bullying.” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper reaffirmed that the UK’s commitment to the islands remains “unwavering.”

“The Falkland Islands are British territory: sovereignty belongs to the United Kingdom, and the right to self-determination belongs to the residents,” Cooper said in response to Milei’s comments. “We could not be clearer about the United Kingdom’s position regarding the Falkland Islands. This position is long-standing. It has not changed.”

Political friction is expected to increase this autumn, as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reportedly plans to visit Argentina to inform Milei personally that British sovereignty over the islands is “not up for discussion.”

The current diplomatic escalation contrasts with Milei’s previous rhetoric. On April 2, 2024—the 42nd anniversary of the conflict—Milei stated his ambition was to make Argentina a global power so that the inhabitants of the Falklands would eventually choose to align with Argentina over Britain. A year prior, he publicly acknowledged that the islands were “in the hands of the UK” and admitted there was “no instant solution,” promising to pursue recovery only through diplomatic channels.

However, recent military and financial developments have shifted the landscape. The Telegraph recently reported that the US applied pressure on the UK to accept a deal involving the sale of US-made F-16 fighter jets to Argentina. Argentina took delivery of the aircraft from Denmark late last year, representing a rare instance of Western allies arming Buenos Aires.

While the UK maintains a strict ban on exporting weapons or components to Argentina due to the sovereignty dispute, London does not hold a formal veto over the F-16 transfer. Nevertheless, sources told The Telegraph that the UK was “firmly informed” that the deal would proceed despite British objections. The geopolitical alignment has been further underscored by financial ties, with Trump providing Milei with a £15 billion bailout package last year.