US confirms its neutrality on Malvinas after reported Pentagon memo

The United States reiterated its neutral stance on Friday regarding the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands between Argentina and the United Kingdom, according to a spokesperson for the US Department of State.

“Our position on the islands remains one of neutrality. We acknowledge that there are competing claims of sovereignty between Argentina and the United Kingdom,” the spokesperson said, adding that Washington recognises the UK’s “de facto administration” of the archipelago without taking a position on ultimate sovereignty.

The remarks follow media reports citing leaked Pentagon documents suggesting that Washington may be considering a shift in its long-standing diplomatic backing for British sovereignty over the disputed South Atlantic territory, a British Overseas Territory.

The islands, located around 480 kilometres off Argentina’s southern coast, have been administered by the United Kingdom since 1833 but are claimed by Buenos Aires, which refers to them as the Malvinas.

The dispute led to a brief war in 1982, a 10-week conflict between the two countries that ended in a British victory but did not resolve the underlying sovereignty issue. A total of 649 Argentines and 255 Britons lost their lives.

Trump assessment

Last week Reuters reported, citing Pentagon sources, that the United States could review its position on the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands in retaliation for British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s lack of support for the war in the Middle East.

The report suggested the Trump administration was reviewing policy towards what were described as European “imperial possessions.” It also suggested that the US had proposed suspending Spain from NATO in retaliation for its opposition to the war against Iran.

Any potential shift in US policy would come at a time of close political alignment between the White House and Argentina’s government under President Javier Milei.

At present, the US State Department formally recognises the United Kingdom’s administration of the territory while acknowledging Argentina’s claim, a position it has maintained for decades.

In a post on X on Friday, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper declared that “the Falkland Islands are British.”

“Sovereignty rests with the UK, self-determination rests with the islanders,” said the MP, adding that Downing Street’s “commitment to the Falklands is unwavering.”

A spokesperson for Starmer echoed that position, telling the BBC that the islanders had “previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK Overseas Territory,” referring to a 2013 referendum in which nearly all voters backed continued British rule.

“We’ve always stood behind the islanders’ right to self-determination and the fact that sovereignty rests with the UK,” the spokesperson said, adding that the government “could not be clearer” on its position.

In a statement, the Falkland Islands Government said that “self-determination is a fundamental human right, enshrined in Article 1, paragraph 2, of the United Nations charter.”

The United Kingdom rejects all Argentine sovereignty claims and considers that the approximately 3,600 inhabitants of the archipelago should have the right to self-determination.

Sovereignty claim

With the exception of the period of the 1982 war, Argentina has been claiming sovereignty over the islands through diplomatic channels for almost 200 years.

In Buenos Aires, President Javier Milei reiterated his government’s commitment to recovering the islands, saying in an interview that authorities were doing everything “humanly possible” to ensure their return.

“We are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that the Malvinas Islands return to Argentina’s control. Sovereignty is not negotiable, but we must approach this judiciously; we must use our heads,” Milei said during an appearance on a streaming channel.

Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno also reaffirmed Argentina’s claim, stating that the country “reasserts its sovereign rights over the Malvinas Islands” in response to recent statements by British officials.

Argentina argues that the islands were illegally occupied by Britain in 1833 and calls for renewed bilateral negotiations, while the UK maintains that the principle of self-determination applies to the islanders, who identify as British.

Argentina’s Vice-President Victoria Villarruel last week said that the islanders – often called “the Kelpers” – should “go back thousands of kilometres away to their country.”