Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled to his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the UK government wouldn’t block a potential deal to hand back the Parthenon sculptures, people familiar with the matter said.

The British and Greek prime ministers held talks Tuesday focused on illegal migration and supporting Ukraine but with a long-running dispute over the Parthenon Marbles ancient art work looming over the meeting.

The UK doesn’t need to trade off its special relationship with the US against its European alliances, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, despite concern that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to to ramp-up tariffs will drive a wedge between the allies.

The prime minister has vowed not to choose between allies of the UK in a speech on foreign policy. Attacking the Conservatives for having "turned their back on the world", Sir Keir Starmer said his government would instead strengthen ties with both the US and the EU.