Biden to host British Prime Minister Starmer next week for White House talks

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for talks in Washington next week that are expected to touch on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and other issues.

Next Friday’s meeting with the leader of one of America’s closest allies comes as Biden looks to step up engagement on the international stage in his final months in office. U.S. allies and adversaries are also intently watching how the race to succeed Biden between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump plays out.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the Oval Office visit, the second by Starmer since he was elected earlier this summer, will focus on continuing Western support for Ukraine as it tries to repel Russia’s invasion, ongoing efforts to secure a hostage and cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea posed by the Houthis, an Iranian-backed group, as well as shared concerns about the Indo-Pacific.

Starmer visited the White House two months ago for one-on-one talks with Biden when he was in Washington for the NATO Summit.