US Secretary of State Blinken to visit UK to 'reaffirm special relationship'

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken volition question to London connected Monday for a two-day sojourn during which helium volition conscionable Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

The US authorities section says Mr Blinken volition unfastened a alleged “US-UK strategical dialogue” - understood to beryllium a bid of meetings betwixt elder officials which Washington describes arsenic “reaffirming” the “special relationship” betwixt the 2 countries.

Mr Blinken volition “discuss a scope of captious issues, including the Indo-Pacific, AUKUS partnership, the Middle East, and our corporate efforts to enactment Ukraine,” the authorities section said.

It is understood Mr Blinken is besides apt to conscionable Prime Minister Keir Starmer portion helium is successful the UK.

The overseas caput and Mr Blinken met connected the Keir Starmer's archetypal sojourn to Washington arsenic premier curate backmost successful July for the Nato summit.

Following that meeting, the authorities section said that Mr Blinken and Mr Lammy "re-affirmed the value of ensuring Ukraine has the economic, security, and humanitarian assistance it needs to support its sovereignty and territorial integrity".

The brace besides "discussed the request to scope a ceasefire successful Gaza that secures the merchandise of hostages and lays the groundwork for durable peace".

Mr Blinken has been a predominant visitant to Israel, having been 10 times since the Hamas attacks connected 7 October past year.

Following his astir caller gathering with Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Blinken said the Israeli premier curate had accepted Washington's alleged "bridging proposal" aimed astatine trying to lick sticking points and bring Israel and Hamas person to a deal.

Pressure has been increasing connected Mr Netanyahu to adjacent retired a deal, amid wide protests successful Israel past week.

On Friday, the White House announced that the UK premier curate volition besides question to Washington for his 2nd bilateral gathering with President Joe Biden astatine the White House connected Friday 13 September.

The PM said his archetypal face-to look talks with President Biden successful July were an accidental to "recommit" to Nato and the "special relationship" betwixt the UK and US.

Speaking up of adjacent week's meeting, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said Mr Starmer and Mr Biden volition person "an in-depth treatment connected a scope of planetary issues of communal interest".

The White House added "robust enactment to Ukraine successful its defence against Russian aggression" volition besides beryllium discussed, arsenic good arsenic securing a hostage merchandise and ceasefire woody to extremity the warfare successful Gaza.

"President Biden volition underscore the value of continuing to fortify the peculiar narration betwixt the United States and the United Kingdom," the White House besides said.