Biden, Starmer meet as Russia warns over missiles for Ukraine

Responding to Putin’s warning, Starmer told UK media travelling with him that “Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict straight away.”
The talks come with Biden on his way out of office, and November’s US election is a toss-up between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly praised Putin, and refused to take sides on the war during a debate with Harris on Tuesday, saying only: “I want the war to stop.”
Starmer is set to meet Biden at the White House at 4.30pm (2030 GMT) but has no scheduled meetings with Trump or Harris, both of whom will be on the campaign trail on Friday.
Biden said on Tuesday that he was “working” on Ukraine’s demands to use longer-range missiles, while top US and British diplomats Antony Blinken and David Lammy made a rare joint visit to Kyiv on Wednesday.
Biden has strongly supported Ukraine since Russia’s invasion but has been risk-averse about stepping up to new kinds of weapons deliveries, fearful of stoking nuclear tensions with Putin.
His reticence about allowing Ukraine to use longer-range US missiles follows similar delays on HIMARS rockets, tanks and F-16 jets — all of which he eventually approved.
But the looming US election on Nov 5 means the clock is ticking on a decision.
Trump has repeatedly pledged to push through a quick deal to end the war if elected – a deal many Ukrainians fear would force them to accept Russia’s territorial gains.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meanwhile doubled down on Berlin’s refusal to send long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
“This decision will not change,” Scholz said when asked about the issue at a press conference.