Biden Welcomes New British Prime Minister's Desire for Closer Ties with the EU

The British government announced on Thursday, July 21, that Joe Biden, the President of the United States, expressed his welcome for the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer's desire for closer relations with European counterparts during their meeting. According to Reuters, Starmer met with Biden at the White House on Wednesday, where the leaders discussed UK-US relations, the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and England's victory in the semi-finals of 'Euro 2024'. The British government stated that 'the US President welcomed the recent remarks of the British Prime Minister regarding establishing closer relations with our European counterparts and also Britain's commitment to the AUKUS security pact.' Starmer, who is in Washington for the NATO summit, met with European leaders. The new Prime Minister of Britain stated that he wants his government to resume relations with the European Union to improve cooperation in areas such as security and trade and is seeking to reduce the animosity stemming from the UK's referendum in 2016 to leave the EU. However, he rejected any moves to rejoin the EU single market or customs union. The two leaders also agreed that everything necessary should be done to support Ukraine in its war with Russia and discussed their mutual desire for a ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the release of hostages, the entry of aid, and the advancement of a 'two-state solution' for the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. The Labour Party's victory in the parliamentary elections and its impact on Britain's role in the international arena was also noted, with the new Prime Minister expressing a commitment to 'reviving and rebuilding the country.' Joe Biden congratulated Keir Starmer on his victory as the new Prime Minister of Britain.