The Prime Minister has arrived in the US to hold talks with President Joe Biden on resolving the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to meet Mr Biden in the White House on Friday following pleas from Ukraine to lift restrictions on using Western weaponry against Russian targets.
The PM’s visit to Washington DC comes just two months before Americans go to the polls in the presidential election, and follows Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s trip to Kyiv alongside US secretary of state Antony Blinken.
Concern about escalation has been one of the reasons why permission has not yet been given to Kyiv.
Iran has been hit with sanctions by the UK and US after the two countries formally accused Tehran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia.
Mr Lammy and Mr Blinken announced further financial support for Ukraine, including a £600 million package from the UK and 717 million dollars (£550 million) from the US to meet immediate humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs.
Sir Keir’s second trip to the US as Prime Minister will also see him discuss the conflict in the Middle East, and any potential progress that can be made towards the release of hostages and a ceasefire deal.
Their first White House bilateral took place as Sir Keir attended the Nato summit just days after Labour won the election.
The pair are also expected to discuss strengthening cooperation to secure supply chains, increasing climate resilience and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
