Biden congratulates new Britain PM Keir Starmer as UK vows ‘unwavering’ support for Ukraine

Joe Biden on Friday spoke to new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, congratulating him on the center-left Labour party's landslide general election victory.

Updated on: Jul 6, 2024, 14:30:45 IST

AFPPosted by Shweta Kukreti

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US President Joe Biden on Friday spoke to new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, congratulating him on the center-left Labour party's landslide general election victory.

Biden and Starmer "reaffirmed the special relationship between our nations and the importance of working together in support of freedom and democracy around the world," the statement said. (AP)

Biden and Starmer "reiterated their continued support for Ukraine as it fights Russia's unrelenting aggression," the White House said in a statement.

"They affirmed their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and working with the leaders of Northern Ireland to create and sustain economic growth and opportunities," it added.

Biden set to meet Starmer NATO summit

Starmer will meet Biden and other world leaders in Washington next week at a NATO summit.

The British vote results contrast with Britain's closest Western allies, with the far-right in France eyeing power and Donald Trump ahead in polls against Biden before the November US presidential election.

Biden and Starmer "reaffirmed the special relationship between our nations and the importance of working together in support of freedom and democracy around the world," the statement said.

Starmer told Biden that British support for Ukraine's war with Russia was "unwavering", in a first call hours after Britain's new leader took charge.

"The leaders reiterated their steadfast commitment to Ukraine and the prime minister underscored that the UK's support for Ukraine was unwavering," Starmer's Downing Street office said in a readout.

"The leaders discussed their shared commitment to the special relationship between the UK and US, and their aligned ambitions for greater economic growth," the statement added.

It said Starmer "looked forward to working side by side across the breadth of the relationship, including the AUKUS partnership and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific".

The UK, US and Australia have forged a new defence alliance in recent years dubbed AUKUS, which is seen as primarily aimed at countering China's growing military strength in the Asia-Pacific region.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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