British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Arrives in Washington for Critical Talks with Biden on Long-Range Missiles for Ukraine

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Washington for crucial discussions with US President Joe Biden, scheduled late Friday night. This meeting is anticipated to be their final discussion before the upcoming election, which could potentially shift US policy on Ukraine.
The main topic of their talks will be whether to allow Kyiv to use long-range missiles against Russia. Ukraine is urging both Washington and London to lift restrictions on the use of their weaponry. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that approving such a move would signify a de facto NATO-Russia war.
Reports indicate that Biden, cautious about provoking a nuclear conflict, is considering permitting Ukraine to use British and French missiles with US technology, but not US-made missiles. In response to Putin’s warnings, Starmer stated, “Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict straight away.”
The discussion is also timely as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are on the campaign trail. Trump has been non-committal on Ukraine during recent debates, merely expressing a desire for the war to end.
Starmer’s visit to Washington, his second since Labour’s recent electoral victory, also aims to address differences over the Gaza conflict. Last week, Starmer’s government imposed restrictions on some weapons to Israel over concerns of potential violations of international humanitarian law. The White House has not criticized this decision but has sought to understand what would prompt a change in London’s stance, with a ceasefire in Gaza reportedly being a condition.
Ukraine remains the primary focus of the talks amid ongoing battlefield losses more than two years into the war. Biden has indicated he is “working” on Ukraine’s demands, and top diplomats from both the US and UK recently visited Kyiv to discuss the situation.
Currently, US policy permits Ukraine to strike only Russian targets in occupied Ukrainian territories and certain border regions directly linked to combat operations. Putin’s recent threats of nuclear escalation add urgency to these discussions.