Keir Starmer has stood by his choice to visit South Africa for the G20 summit just days before the upcoming budget, despite confirmation that Donald Trump will not attend the event.

The prime minister is scheduled to land in South Africa on Friday morning for two full days of summit meetings and one-on-one talks focused on economic development and sustainable growth.

While the chancellor is making final revisions to a potentially contentious budget, and with Trump opting not to attend, Downing Street emphasized on Thursday that Starmer’s presence at the summit remains a worthwhile investment for the UK.

Speaking en route to Johannesburg, Starmer commented: “If we want to address the rising cost of living and improve people’s standards of living through secure, well-paid jobs, investment from countries in the G20 is essential.

“The kind of conversations we’ll have at this summit translate into real job opportunities back in the UK, which is especially vital when economic pressures are high.”

His itinerary includes a business event on Friday ahead of the main summit on Saturday. While Starmer will hold discussions with other global leaders, he will not be able to speak with Trump, who has chosen to stay away, citing allegations of racial bias in South Africa against its minority white population.

South African officials responded by accusing the US of exerting pressure by refusing to attend.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the B20 business forum on Thursday, saying: “We are independent nations. We must be treated as equals.

“Respect for our sovereignty is crucial. Everyone at the table should share an equal stake in dialogue and decision-making—without being pushed around.”

Commenting on Trump’s absence, Starmer stated: “President Trump has made his own decision, but it’s essential to engage with our partners and allies to tackle global challenges together.”

Leaders of Russia and China—Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping—will also not attend the summit.

Although South Africa maintains a close connection with Russia, the country is also a party to the international criminal court, which has issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest. Xi Jinping has been delegating many international visits this year to Premier Li Qiang, including the Brics and Asean events.

British sources say that alongside the official agenda, Starmer will seek to build continued backing for Ukraine, amid reports that Trump is outlining a peace proposal potentially requiring Ukraine to surrender arms and territory.

Starmer reviewed the basics of this plan earlier this week during a dinner in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron. Further discussions are expected during the summit with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

As Starmer engages in international diplomacy, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is concluding work on a budget that may involve significant tax increases, such as the continued freezing of income tax thresholds. Both Starmer and Reeves recently shelved a proposal to raise income tax rates, prompting the treasury to seek other methods of raising about £20 billion in revenue.

Starmer remarked: “The full details of the budget will be announced on Wednesday. It will reflect Labour’s principles and it will be driven by fairness.”

He added: “We must understand that we’re emerging from nearly two decades marked by the 2008 financial crisis, years of austerity, a poor Brexit deal, the pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. It’s time to make decisions that guide us forward.”

“I truly believe our country has a strong future, provided we make the right choices now.”