Biden to Host British Prime Minister for Bilateral Talks This Week

(Left) President Joe Biden speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Sherman Middle School in Madison, Wis., on July 5, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Right) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a news conference following his first cabinet meeting in London on July 6, 2024. Claudia Greco-WPA Pool/Getty Images

President Joe Biden will host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a bilateral meeting this week to discuss their countries’ cooperation and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the White House said on Sept. 6.

Starmer is set to visit the White House on Sept. 13, when he will meet with Biden for the second time since taking office in early July. The two had their first one-on-one talk in Washington on the sidelines of the NATO summit on July 10.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that during the meeting Biden will underscore the importance of strengthening the “special relationship” between the United States and the UK.

They will have an in-depth discussion on global issues of mutual interest, including “continuing robust support to Ukraine in its defense” against Russian aggression, Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

The two leaders will also discuss efforts to secure the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and achieve a cease-fire deal to end the Israel–Hamas war in Gaza, according to the statement.

Biden and Starmer will also discuss the threats posed by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels to international shipping in the Red Sea, and efforts to ensure a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region.

Jean-Pierre said the two leaders will use the meeting to explore opportunities to strengthen their countries’ cooperation on supply chains and climate resilience.

The White House did not say whether Starmer will meet with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party nominee for president, during his Sept. 13 visit.

This will be Starmer’s first meeting with Biden since he dropped out from the presidential race on July 21 and endorsed Harris as his replacement.

During their July 10 meeting at the Oval Office, Biden described the United States and the UK as “the best of allies,” while Starmer emphasized the need to enhance their countries’ “special relationship.”

“I kind of see you guys as the knot tying the transatlantic alliance together. The closer you are with Europe, the more you are engaged. ... We know where you are, and we know where we are,” Biden told Starmer.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening U.S.–UK cooperation and continuing support of Ukraine, according to a White House statement about the July 10 meeting.

Just days after taking office on July 5, Starmer pledged support for Ukraine for “as long as needed” in its battle against Russian aggression. The newly elected British leader said on July 10 that the UK’s 3 billion pound (about $3.9 billion) yearly military support for Ukraine will continue until at least 2030–2031.