New Prime Minister Keir Starmer met for the first time with President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday, where Biden praised the UK as a key ally on global issues, including the war in Ukraine.
“We are the best allies in the world,” Biden, 81, said in the Oval Office as he shook hands with his fellow center-left leader.
Biden added that he sees the UK as “the glue that holds the transatlantic alliance together”.
Starmer, 61, who was in Washington to address his first NATO summit less than a week after winning the election, said “this special relationship is hugely important” and that it was “stronger now than it has ever been”.
The pair also joked about England’s victory over the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final, saying the win was “all down to the Prime Minister”.
But neither candidate addressed the core issue, which is that Biden’s reelection chances are at risk following his disastrous debate defeat against Donald Trump.
As questions grow over Biden’s health, allies are also growing concerned about a second term for Trump, who has openly questioned the usefulness of NATO and considered a quick deal with Russia over Ukraine.
In Washington, British Prime Minister Starmer pledged continued Britain’s unwavering support for Kiev and authorized British missile attacks on Russian soil.
Days after Labour’s landslide election victory, ousting the Conservatives after 14 years in power, Starmer said he had a “very good” meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of a summit to mark NATO’s 75th anniversary.
“I have made it very clear that as far as the UK is concerned, the change of government will have no impact on the support that we provide,” Starmer told reporters.
Speaking on the flight to Washington, Starmer said the UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles were for “defensive purposes” but it was up to Ukraine to decide how to deploy them, effectively giving Kiev the green light to attack inside Russia.
– “As much as you need” –
In a speech to Nato leaders on Thursday, Starmer was due to say the UK would support Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.
Trump also plans to recommit military aid to Ukraine at 3 billion pounds ($3.9 billion) a year until 2030-31, the British government said.
Britain is also due to deliver a new set of artillery pieces and 90 Brimstone missiles in the coming weeks, contributing to a larger NATO aid package for Kiev.
Under three Conservative prime ministers, Britain has been one of the strongest supporters of the Ukraine war, leading the push for more advanced military systems and looser restrictions on Kiev.
Biden, who has strongly supported Ukraine but has been careful to avoid a direct conflict with Russia, recently took a similar step by allowing Ukraine to use U.S. weapons to attack Russian offensive positions across the border.
President Zelenskyy welcomed the decision regarding the Storm Shadow missiles, writing on Telegram: “Thank you for your continued support to Ukraine and its people!”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Russia would take “appropriate measures” in response to Starmer’s decision.
Mr Starmer met with other Western leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, at the NATO summit.
Starmer said he hoped the NATO summit would send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the alliance was “stronger than ever, more united than ever and thoroughly aware of the threat of Russian aggression”.
At a 2014 NATO summit in Britain, a target was set for each alliance member to spend at least 2 percent of its GDP on defense, a long-standing U.S. demand.
At the time, only the United States, Britain and Greece achieved the goal, but since the invasion of Ukraine, that number has increased to 23 of the 32-nation alliance.
Britain’s new Defense Secretary, John Healey, has called on NATO to consider moving towards the 2.5% target.
Healey told reporters that rising threats around the world suggested “all of our NATO allies need to do more than simply 2%.”
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