President Biden to Host UK PM Starmer Next Week, with Ukraine and Gaza on the Agenda

Washington, DC September 7:
Next week, US President Joe Biden will visit UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The two heads of state are anticipated to engage in extensive discussions over "a range of global issues of mutual interest," including, but not limited to, the continuing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the two leaders will meet for the second time since Starmer was elected prime minister of Britain earlier this July during the visit to the Oval Office on September 13.

Among the topics that the leaders will address is the need to secure the release of hostages and a ceasefire agreement to stop the conflict in Gaza, as well as the continuation of strong support to Ukraine in its defense against "Russian aggression."

The White House press secretary stated that the concerns of international shipping in the Red Sea, which is threatened by the Houthi rebels backed by Iran, as well as the advancement of a free and open Indo-Pacific will be included in the agenda.

White House officials stated that Biden and Starmer will meet to talk about ways to improve US-UK cooperation in the areas of supply chain security and climate resilience.

During Biden's July visit to Washington for the NATO Summit, Starmer met with him one-on-one at the White House.

This Thursday, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, "That's how close we believe we are," according to Al Jazeera, indicating the Biden administration thinks Israel and Hamas are 90% agreed on the ceasefire agreement.

"Nothing is negotiated until everything is negotiated," he stated. where asked about the outstanding details, he said, "that's when things get difficult." Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined other world leaders in expressing sorrow for the tragic loss of six Israeli hostages who were discovered dead in a Gaza tunnel.

A ceasefire agreement must be reached by all parties promptly to put a stop to the suffering, Starmer stated, adding that he was "completely shocked" by the "horrific and senseless killing" of the hostages.

It astounds me that Hamas slaughtered six hostages in Gaza for no apparent reason. During this terrible moment, my prayers are with their families and friends. Starmer wrote on X that a ceasefire must be quickly agreed upon by all parties in order to put an end to the suffering, and that Hamas must promptly free all hostages. The murder of Israeli hostages shocked and appalled US President Joe Biden, who expressed his deepest sorrow and fury. Among the persons killed by Hamas, he said, was Israeli-American Goldberg-Polin.