Keir Starmer set to visit White House for second meeting with Joe Biden

The meeting will be the second of its kind between the leaders since Sir Keir came to office in July, and comes just two months before Americans go to the polls for the presidential election.

Their first White House meeting took place as Sir Keir attended the Nato summit just days after Labour won the election.

Since their last meeting, President Biden has announced he will not be seeking a second term as president following concerns about his health. Vice president Kamala Harris will instead be the Democratic Party’s candidate.

A White House spokesperson said: “Robust support to Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression” will be on the table, as well as securing a hostage release and ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza.

Sir Keir and the President will also discuss the protection of international shipping in the Red Sea from Iranian-backed Houthi threats and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The statement from the Biden White House added: "They will also discuss opportunities to strengthen US-UK co-operation to secure supply chains and increase climate resilience. President Biden will underscore the importance of continuing to strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• Melania Trump teases bombshell tell-all memoir to 'clarify the facts'
• Donald Trump ‘without question’ in the best place to tackle US’s $35tn debt, says top economist
• Donald Trump's 'hush money' trial sentencing delayed to take place after US election

It comes as the PM met Irish premier Simon Harris during his first official visit to Dublin earlier today. Sir Keir said they had been able to agree the themes and structures of a summit in March 2025, to be held every year thereafter.

Harris, who described Sir Keir as his friend, said: “It’s a really great honour to host you here today on your first official visit to Ireland as Prime Minister...we both said we wish to really place British-Irish relations on a new path and I really appreciate the time that you’ve given to us since taking office, and I’ve tried to respond in kind."

Keir said: "It’s a pleasure to be here, to have this opportunity that we will take to renew the friendship between our two countries. That reset, I think, can be meaningful, it can be deep."

Mr Harris said a reset in relations had to be embedded in "peace and prosperity, mutual respect and friendship." Sir Keir responded by saying he takes that responsibility “very seriously”.

The Prime Minister said pressing international issues including Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East was also on the agenda for the meeting.

A rally against UK arms exports to Israel was staged in Dublin city centre to coincide with the visit.

The Irish-Palestine Solidarity Campaign said the UK was “complicit in the ongoing genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine”.