The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory.
Javier Milei ramped up tensions over the sovereignty of the Falklands overnight (Image: Getty)
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has said the UK will “resolutely uphold” the self-determination of the Falkland Islands after Argentinian President Javier Milei said his country needed to take them back. In a national address Mr Milei reiterated the country’s claim on the islands and said he would introduce sanctions on any oil companies working in the area.
The renewed tensions over the British overseas territory came after President Donald Trump hinted the US would not come to the UK’s aid in any potential future Falklands conflict. In an interview with GB News, the US president said that Britain had “not been there to help me” with his country’s war with Iran, the US president is also an ally of Milei. Trump added: “Your country was not there to help me. We didn’t need help, but I did ask NATO, and I asked your former leader, ‘why didn’t you send a couple of ships?’ He said we don’t have any, and it was pretty sad, the whole thing.”
Miliband said the UK will ‘resolutely uphold’ the self-determination of the Falkland Islands (Image: Getty)
In a televised address Milei said: “Recently, President Trump declared that the US is re-evaluating its historic position in relation to the Malvinas,” he said, using the Argentinian name for the islands.
The Argentinian president said the UK was facing “multiple crises of a migratory, demographic and economic nature that are unlikely to be resolved. It is clear that they are on a path of decline. Argentina’s future, however, is flourishing and will prevail.”
But following the speech, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting wrote on social media: “Milei’s statement overnight tells us more about domestic politics in Argentina than it does about the Falkland Islands.
“The Falklands are British because Falkland Islanders choose to be British. Our commitment to the Falklands is absolute and unshakeable.”
Argentina’s President Javier Milei has continuously vowed Argentina will take over the Falklands (Image: Getty)
Earlier this year Milei claimed his country is doing “everything humanly possible” to snatch the Falkland Islands from Britain.
The right wing leader has previously said he would set out a “roadmap” for the islands to become part of Argentina. The Falklands have been a British territory since 1833.
In a 2013 referendum, the Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly to remain a British overseas territory, with 99.8% voting in favour and just three votes against.
Trump has hinted the US will not help the UK in any future Falklands conflict (Image: Getty)
The US provided support to Britain after the Argentinian invasion in 1982, though it maintains a neutral position.
It sparked the Falklands War which saw 255 British service deaths in just over 70 bloody days. It also led to the deaths of 655 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders.
In his speech, Mr Milei said: “Our role and relevance as a country in the world has changed dramatically.
“The Falklands are our future – we need to recover these islands which are nationally relevant. There is no other path forward.”