Biden, Starmer Meeting Does Not Lift Ukraine Long-Range Weapons Ban

President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met at the White House, where they found common ground on various foreign policy issues. However, they did not come to a conclusion regarding Ukraine’s potential use of long-range weapons against Russian territory.

As they entered their meeting, Biden informed reporters, “We’re going to discuss that now.” Meanwhile, Starmer stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine, stating, “The next few weeks and months could be crucial – very, very important that we support Ukraine in this vital war of freedom.”

Earlier in the week, Biden had indicated that the United States may reconsider its prohibition on Ukraine utilizing long-range weapons in its fight against Russia. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that allowing Ukraine to fire long-range missiles could lead to direct conflict with NATO.

The meeting yielded a commitment from both leaders to maintain their strong support for Ukraine amid ongoing Russian aggression. A statement from the White House outlined that they had an extensive discussion on various mutual interests but did not provide additional specifics regarding the situation concerning long-range weaponry.

Additionally, Biden and Starmer expressed deep concern over North Korea’s recent missile tests and the support China and Iran have been providing to Russia. This concern comes in light of North Korea’s recent actions, which included multiple ballistic missile launches into the East Sea under the directive of leader Kim Jong Un, who has called for an increase in the country’s nuclear arsenal.

Furthermore, the leaders condemned the attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi forces, highlighting a shared stance against rising threats in different regions.