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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet US President Joe Biden at the White House next week, amid recent differences between the two allies over the war between Israel and Hamas.
The Gaza conflict will be on the agenda of the meeting, announced by the White House on Friday, in which Starmer will hold the position. his second meeting with Biden since becoming prime minister on July 5.
This week Starmer announced that Britain had suspended some Arms export license to Israel after the British government reviewed and found violations of international humanitarian law by Israel.
He also restored funding for the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees and changed Britain’s stance on arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.
While the Biden administration has said it respects Britain’s decision on arms exports and the UK’s legal framework that supports it, the move represents an unusual divergence in policy between the two allies.
Starmer, who has been engaged in an intensive programme of international contact-building since becoming prime minister, previously met Biden in July at the White House on the sidelines of a NATO summit.
The White House said Biden and Starmer will have “an in-depth discussion on a range of global issues of mutual concern” next Friday.
These will include talks on “securing the release of hostages and a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza”, along with “continued strong support for Ukraine”.
The White House added that the agenda would also include “protecting international shipping in the Red Sea from threats from the Iran-backed Houthis and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
“They will also discuss opportunities to strengthen US-UK cooperation to secure supply chains and increase climate resilience. President Biden will highlight the importance of continuing to strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.”
Meanwhile Starmer, who last week visited Berlin and Pariswill travel to Dublin on Saturday for talks with Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris as part of a wider effort to reset the UK’s relationship with the EU.
Starmer will hold talks with business leaders and attend the football match between Ireland and England.
