The State Department announced on Saturday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to London next week to engage in discussions regarding the Middle East and Ukraine. This announcement was made in advance of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to the United States.
The visit to London by Blinken on Monday and Tuesday will be the most senior visit by a US official since the Labour Party of Starmer won the July elections, which ended 14 years of Conservative rule.
“Reaffirming our special relationship,” stated State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, Blinken will participate in a strategic dialogue.
Miller stated in a statement that he will address “our collective efforts to support Ukraine” as well as the Middle East and Asia.
Starmer’s second visit to Washington since his election was previously disclosed by the White House.
On July 10, Starmer attended a NATO summit in Washington and encountered President Joe Biden at the White House, just days after assuming office.
Biden’s Democrats have historically been perceived as more aligned with the Labour Party than the Conservatives, and Britain and the United States have consistently collaborated on the majority of global issues.
Nevertheless, Starmer has adopted a more resolute stance toward Israel since assuming office. His government has announced the suspension of certain arms shipments, citing the potential for them to be used to contravene humanitarian law.
The Labour government has also abandoned the Conservative predecessor’s plan to contest the International Criminal Court’s authority to pursue the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The United States has opposed the attempt to target Netanyahu, arguing that Israel has its own systems for accountability, and is not a member of the International Criminal Court.
However, the United States, Israel’s primary weapons supplier, refrained from criticizing the arms decision, asserting that Britain had its own assessment process.
