UK-US relations ‘sturdy’ says Keir Starmer as he meets Joe Biden

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says his first face-to-face talks with US President Joe Biden had been a chance to “recommit” to Nato and the “particular relationship” between the UK and US.

Dealing with reporters within the White Home, Sir Keir informed the president: “The particular relationship is so necessary. It is solid in troublesome circumstances, endured for thus lengthy, and stronger now than ever.”

The brand new prime minister met President Biden for the primary time at Nato’s seventy fifth anniversary summit in Washington simply hours earlier than their non-public talks within the Oval Workplace.

President Biden known as the US and UK the “better of allies”, saying the UK was “the transatlantic knot” that ties Nato along with its European members.

It comes as Sir Keir is seeking to kind a brand new safety pact with EU nations to strengthen co-operation on defence.

The 2 leaders’ assembly got here as Nato agreed additional help for Ukraine on the Washington summit.

Sir Keir additionally confirmed that the UK’s £3bn a 12 months navy support for Kyiv would proceed.

President Biden mentioned “issues are shifting in the best route, I’m feeling actually optimistic”.

The prime minister congratulated President Biden on internet hosting the summit, including it was “a much bigger Nato, a stronger Nato and a Nato with the resolve that we want”.

The Labour chief – on his first abroad go to as prime minister – is a season ticket holder at Arsenal Soccer Membership and gave President Biden a personalised crew shirt as a gift.

It has President Biden’s surname on the again and the quantity 46 – a reference to him being the forty sixth US president.

Sir Keir additionally gave him a duplicate of the Atlantic Constitution – the 1941 US-UK declaration which paved the way in which for the formation of the navy alliance – that includes amendments from the then Labour chief Clement Attlee.

Overseas Secretary David Lammy, who accompanied Sir Keir on the journey, met his US counterpart Antony Blinken.

The State Division mentioned the pair “re-affirmed the significance of guaranteeing Ukraine has the financial, safety, and humanitarian help it must defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

They “mentioned the necessity to attain a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the discharge of hostages and lays the groundwork for sturdy peace”.

New UK Defence Secretary John Healey met his US counterpart Lloyd Austin.

There was no point out of Sir Keir’s Arsenal shirt present when the 2 leaders spoke to reporters earlier than their White Home assembly – however there was a little bit time for each males to hail England’s 2-1 victory over the Netherlands within the semi-finals of Euro 2024.

Substitute Ollie Watkins’s last-minute successful purpose within the match was scored simply earlier than Sir Keir arrived for the talks.

Requested by reporters in regards to the consequence, President Biden mentioned, “I heard”.

“Excellent news certainly,” he added, joking that “it’s all due to the prime minister”.

And the prime minister, when requested by the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason, “is soccer coming residence?”, replied: “It appears prefer it.”

Sir Keir has confirmed he shall be attending the ultimate towards Spain in Berlin on Sunday.

At one level in the course of the Nato summit, a video clip posted on X by Sir Keir confirmed him stopping between conferences to observe England captain Harry Kane take a penalty.