Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Starmer says support for Ukraine 'unwavering' as Biden calls him

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

Starmer says support for Ukraine 'unwavering' as Biden calls him

US president Joe Biden spoke to new prime minister Keir Starmer on Friday, congratulating him on the Labour Party's landslide general election victory.

In a call shortly after taking office, Starmer told Biden that the UK's support for Ukraine was "unwavering." Downing Street's readout of the call noted, "The leaders reiterated their steadfast commitment to Ukraine, and the prime minister underscored that the UK's support for Ukraine was unwavering."


Biden and Starmer reiterated their continued support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. "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," the White House said in a statement.

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

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.

They also discussed their shared commitment to the special relationship between the UK and US, and their aligned ambitions for greater economic growth. Starmer expressed his eagerness to work closely across the breadth of the relationship, including the AUKUS partnership and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The AUKUS alliance, formed by the UK, US, and Australia, aims to counter China's growing military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

"I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries," Biden said on X.

The UK readout highlighted that the two leaders also "reflected on their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement," which has been strained in recent years by Britain's exit from the European Union. Northern Ireland remains the UK's only land border with the EU, making the Irish border a sensitive issue.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday thanked Starmer for pledging that London would carry on backing Kyiv, in a phone call hours after Britain's new prime minister took office.

Britain has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since Russia invaded in February 2022.

"I am grateful to prime minister Starmer for reaffirming the UK's principled and unwavering support for Ukraine," Zelensky said on social media.

(With inputs from AFP)

More For You

british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less
scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less