Starmer arrives in US for talks with Biden on conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza
Sir Keir Starmer will sit down with Joe Biden later today, with the problem of what to do next in their long stand-off with Vladimir Putin top of the agenda as ITV's political correspondent Carl Dinnen reports
The prime minister has arrived in the US to hold talks with President Joe Biden on resolving the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to meet Biden in the White House on Friday following pleas from Ukraine to lift restrictions on using Western weaponry against Russian targets.
The PM’s visit to Washington DC comes just two months before Americans go to the polls in the presidential election, and follows Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s trip to Kyiv alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
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Neither man was drawn on granting Ukraine permission to use the long-range missiles supplied by the West to attack targets in Russia, which is a key request of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Concern about escalation has been one of the reasons why permission has not yet been given to Kyiv.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy told International Editor Emma Murphy Ukraine is "waiting" for British "permission" to use long-range missiles inside Russia.
As he left the Summit of First Ladies and First Gentlemen, organised by his wife to promote the use of soft power diplomacy in the face of Russia’s hard power, the president thanked the UK for its support but said a decision was needed now.
When asked why he needs the arms, he responded "to survive".
Mr Zelenskyy told International Editor Emma Murphy Ukraine needs the missiles "to survive"
Meanwhile, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said allowing long-range strikes “would mean that NATO countries, the United States, and European countries are at war with Russia…if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us”.
Iran has been hit with sanctions by the UK and US after the two countries formally accused Tehran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia.
Lammy and Blinken announced further financial support for Ukraine, including a £600 million package from the UK and 717 million dollars (£550 million) from the US to meet immediate humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs.
Starmer’s second trip to the US as prime minister will also see him discuss the conflict in the Middle East, and any potential progress that can be made towards the release of hostages and a ceasefire deal.
Their first White House bilateral took place as Starmer attended the Nato summit just days after Labour won the election.
The pair are also expected to discuss strengthening cooperation to secure supply chains, increasing climate resilience and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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