LAST UPDATE | 11 Jul 2024

NEW BRITISH PRIME minister Keir Starmer has met with US president Joe Biden in the White House, where the two discussed the importance of Nato and the “special relationship” between the two countries. 

Biden is hosting the Nato summit in Washington DC, where the alliance is marking its 75th anniversary. 

It’s a high stakes summit for Biden, with pressure mounting on him to step aside from the upcoming US presidential election following a poor debate performance against Donald Trump.

Thank you for your warm welcome @POTUS.

I look forward to continuing the special relationship between our two countries.#NATOSummit pic.twitter.com/7qTeTywwIa

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 11, 2024

A Downing Street spokesperson said both leaders “agreed Nato is stronger and more united than ever” and that they “reflected on the importance of the Nato alliance and the special relationship” between the US and the UK.

The spokesperson said both Nato and the “special relationship” are important in the “context of current geopolitical challenges, including the ongoing war in Ukraine” and that both leaders will do “whatever it takes to support Ukraine and ensure aggressors like Putin do not win”.

Biden and Starmer also discussed the conflict in Gaza and the need for an immediate ceasefire and release of the hostages, as well as the need to get humanitarian aid to Gaza and make progress towards a two-state solution. 

Starmer also held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and promised to support the war-torn country for “as long as it takes”.

He also confirmed a £3 billion (€3.5 billion)-a-year funding package for the country will continue at the Nato summit in Washington.

Starmer meeting with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a bilateral meeting before the Nato summit. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Starmer is expected to tell members of the alliance that they need to send a “clear message” to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Britain has also confirmed it will contribute £40 million (€47 million) to Nato’s comprehensive assistance package for Ukraine and the UK-administered international fund for Kyiv will place a new order, worth £300 million (€356 million), for 120,000 rounds of 152mm Soviet-era ammunition.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Security Minister Dan Jarvis said Britain must be “incredibly careful” to avoid retaliation from the Kremlin after the UK government signalled that its missiles can be used by Ukraine for strikes in Russia. 

Jarvis said “we’ve got to guard against” the risk of reaction from Moscow but suggested the deployment of weapons “ultimately will be a matter” for Kyiv as long as international law is upheld.

On his flight to Washington, Starmer said British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles were for “defensive purposes,” but it was up to Ukraine to decide how to deploy them – effectively giving Kyiv the green light for strikes inside Russia.

Following his meeting with Starmer, Zelenskyy said in a post on X: “I learned about the permission to use Storm Shadow missiles against military targets in Russian territory.

“Today, we had the opportunity to discuss the practical implementation of this decision. I’m grateful to the UK for its unwavering support for Ukraine and our people.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has warned that Russia will take “appropriate measures” in response to Starmer’s decision.

Speaking to the media this morning, Jarvis said that while Zelenskyy’s government must use weapons systems in compliance with international humanitarian law, the UK and Nato allies will continue to provide the “material support” it needs to defend the country.

I held my first meeting with the new UK Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer.

I thanked Prime Minister Starmer for all the UK’s military and financial assistance provided to our country. This morning, I learned about the permission to use Storm Shadow missiles against military targets… pic.twitter.com/zEHHpLh105

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 10, 2024

Asked how concerned Britain should be about the risk of Russian retaliation, the minister told Sky News: “Well of course, we’ve got to guard against that. And of course, we’ve got to be incredibly careful.

“But what’s most important is that in concert with our Nato allies, we work together to make sure that President Zelensky and Ukraine have got the material support they need to defend themselves against Russia.

“It is an illegal invasion, the consequences of which are massive for the whole world.”

Jarvis told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The deployment of those weapons systems ultimately will be a matter for the Ukrainian government but our strong guiding principle with all of these things is that it is incredibly important that the legal framework that governs conflict is followed.”

Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, he said: “We should be under no illusion that our own national security is at stake here.”

The Nato summit is expected to cement Ukraine’s progress towards Nato membership.

But because of Nato’s Article V, which commits to mutual defence, the allies will not allow Ukraine to join while it is still at war as that would trigger an immediate conflict with Russia.

Nato allies are stepping up commitments on Ukraine while they await the results of November’s US presidential election, where Donald Trump has threatened to reduce American support.

-With reporting by Press Association and Diarmuid Pepper