Washington: U.S. President Joe Biden expressed support for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s efforts to strengthen relations with European allies during their meeting at the White House’s Oval Office, as stated by the UK government on Thursday.
During their discussion, which covered UK-U.S. relations, the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts, and England’s recent soccer success in the Euro 2024 semi-finals, Biden welcomed Starmer’s commitment to enhancing ties with European counterparts and reiterated the importance of the AUKUS security pact involving the U.S., UK, and Australia.
“The President welcomed the prime minister’s recent comments on establishing closer relationships with our European counterparts, as well as the UK’s commitment to AUKUS,” the British government statement read. “They reflected that at a time when we face growing challenges across the world, we are at our strongest when we unite and work together.”
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Starmer’s visit to Washington coincided with the NATO summit, where he engaged with European leaders including Germany’s Olaf Scholz. His agenda emphasizes resetting UK-EU relations to foster collaboration in security and trade, aiming to mitigate tensions that arose from the UK’s Brexit referendum in 2016.
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Despite this, Starmer has ruled out rejoining the EU single market or customs union. The leaders also discussed their shared resolve to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia and expressed a joint commitment to achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, facilitating humanitarian aid, and advancing a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
