Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to recommit Britain to internationalism and the rule of law at the upcoming UN General Assembly on Wednesday as his aides seek meetings with Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
The UK prime minister will address the high-level gathering in New York, presenting Britain as a “reliable and trusted” global player under his leadership. This trip marks his third visit to the US in three months. Starmer plans to join calls for an end to the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan at the UN Security Council.
In contrast, Starmer’s predecessor, Rishi Sunak, did not attend last year’s annual UN General Assembly, the first British prime minister in a decade to skip the event. Sunak had also indicated his willingness to leave the European Convention on Human Rights if it interfered with his Rwanda immigration policy.
UK government officials are working to arrange meetings for Starmer with the presidential candidates set to succeed US President Joe Biden. These talks, potentially occurring on Thursday, depend on coordinating schedules with Harris and Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has traveled to the US this week to address the UN and seek security guarantees from Biden before his term ends, has also planned meetings with Harris and possibly Trump.
Starmer’s 48-hour US visit follows his attendance at a NATO summit in Washington in July and bilateral talks regarding Ukraine and the Middle East with Biden at the White House earlier this month. Discussions on the potential approval of Ukraine deploying Western-supplied long-range missiles in Russia dominated Starmer’s last visit, a topic likely to reemerge. On Sunday, Biden stated he had not yet decided on allowing such action.
Since assuming office, Starmer has initiated a foreign policy reset focusing on Europe, climate change, and the “global south.” At the UN, he will pledge to “return the UK to responsible global leadership,” linking Britain’s global reputation to its political stability and domestic security. This effort seeks to differentiate his administration from previous Tory governments marked by instability.
Starmer will emphasize the importance of reaffirming fundamental principles and committing to the UN, internationalism, and the rule of law. He will argue that enhancing the UK’s international engagement is crucial for addressing global challenges that impact the UK domestically, such as war, poverty, and climate change.
In his keynote speech at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, Starmer called for “restraint and de-escalation” at the Lebanon-Israel border and urged all Middle Eastern parties to avoid further conflict. During his speech, a heckler interrupted him, showcasing Middle East policy as a contentious issue among Labour members. This incident followed a similar disturbance faced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves the previous day.