Biden to meet new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington this week

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Victoria, arrive at 10 Downing Street in London, where they will deliver their first address to the nation as head of the United Kingdom government on Friday. Photo by Rory Arnold/No 10 Downing Street/UPI
“President Biden looks forward to his first meeting with Prime Minister Starmer and will emphasize the importance of continuing to strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

July 8 (UPI) — President Joe Biden plans to host newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday for NATO’s 75th anniversary and bilateral meetings in Washington, D.C., the White House announced Monday.

The nations meetings take place from Tuesday to Thursday.

NATO has 32 member countries, including new member Sweden.

Britain’s Labour Party won a landslide victory in a general election on Friday that saw Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s ruling Conservative Party swept from power after 14 years in power.

“President Biden looks forward to his first meeting with Prime Minister Starmer and will emphasize the importance of continuing to strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

She said the two leaders “will have the opportunity to discuss in depth US-UK cooperation on a range of issues, including support for Ukraine, promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, securing a ceasefire and agreement to release hostages in Gaza, ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, and strengthening the coalition to confront threats to commercial shipping from the Iran-backed Houthis.”

She said they will also discuss deepening bilateral cooperation in “areas such as protecting advanced technologies and developing clean climate and energy solutions.”

Biden and Starmer spoke on Friday, according to the White House.

Starmer, who has led the Labour Party since 2020, appeared in London mid-morning on Friday for an audience with King Charles, during which the monarch invited him to form a new government led by him.

Events are planned at the convention center and the White House, as well as Mellon Auditorium, where the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949.