President Joe Biden on Friday lashed out at a British reporter who asked him a question about Vladimir Putin before Biden had a chance to deliver his opening statement in his meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“I’m saying you have to be quiet until I speak, okay? That’s what I’m saying. Good idea?” Biden told the Sky News reporter.
When pressed by the reporter, Biden said, “You need to be quiet, and I’m going to make a statement, OK.”
The President and Starmer, who met in the Blue Room of the White House, then delivered their opening statements on their meeting.
Traditionally, leaders make their statements and then journalists can ask them questions. That is standard protocol for meetings of foreign leaders. Biden told Starmer: ‘I have often said that there is no issue of global significance on which the United States and the United Kingdom cannot work together and have not done so.’
Starmer thanked Biden for inviting him back to the White House, just two months after their last meeting.
President Joe Biden snapped at a British reporter who asked him a question about Putin
The reporter then asked Biden again about the Russian president.
“I don’t think much about Vladimir Putin,” Biden replied.
Ahead of Friday’s meeting, the president indicated he was open to allowing Ukraine to send long-range missiles to Russia, despite a warning from Putin that such a move would lead to “war.”
Biden and Starmer will discuss the issue during their meeting, although the White House has warned that no final decision on the matter is expected today.
“We’re going to talk about that now,” Biden said when asked about Ukraine’s desire to launch long-range missiles deep into Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to use U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems — known as ATACMS — to launch at targets in Russia. Biden has not yet agreed.
But the UK has sent its own long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Kiev. Their use, along with the use of similar weapons from France, is currently limited to Ukraine.
Any change to that policy would require US approval, which Biden and Starmer will discuss during their meeting today.
President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Friday afternoon in the Blue Room at the White House
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the British Ambassador’s residence in Washington
Putin has raised the stakes by warning NATO leaders that lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles would be considered an act of war.
“This means that NATO countries – the United States and European countries – are at war with Russia. And if this is the case, then, taking into account the change in the essence of the conflict, we will take appropriate decisions in response to the threats that will arise for us,” Putin told reporters in Russia yesterday.
He said he would follow up this move with “appropriate decisions.”
Starmer waved away Putin’s threat.
Speaking to reporters en route to Washington DC, the British prime minister said the Russian leader had started the war in Ukraine and could end the fighting “immediately”.
“There are likely to be significant developments in the coming weeks and months, both in Ukraine and in the Middle East, and therefore a number of tactical decisions will need to be taken,” Sir Keir said.
He added: ‘Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia can end this conflict immediately.
‘Ukraine has the right to self-defense and of course we fully support Ukraine’s right to self-defense by providing training opportunities.
“But we are not looking for a conflict with Russia, that is absolutely not our intention. But they started this conflict, and Ukraine has the right to self-defense.”
Biden has long resisted calls from Ukrainian officials to ease restrictions on missile use.
But as the war continues and concerns grow that Iran will supply ballistic missiles to Russia, a change of strategy is being considered.
“We’re working that out as we speak,” Biden said earlier this week when asked whether he would allow Western missiles to strike military sites in Russia.
President Joe Biden is considering whether to fire Western missiles at Russia
Vladimir Putin warned that Ukraine’s use of Western missiles in Russia would lead to ‘war’
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The New York Times reported, citing European officials, that the United States plans to approve Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles against Russian targets, provided the weapons are not supplied by the United States.
Asked about concerns about escalation, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that it was one factor, but “certainly not the only factor.”
He said the US is always ready to adjust its strategy to help Ukraine.
“From day one, as you heard me say, we have adapted and adjusted as the needs and the battlefield changed, and I have no doubt that we will continue to do so as this evolves,” Blinken said at a news conference in Kiev.
A formal announcement of a decision is not expected until Friday after the two leaders meet.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy suggested talks could continue beyond Friday, tempering expectations of a solid announcement from Starmer’s visit to Washington.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy (right) meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv
Ukrainian soldier in a mortar unit prepares to fire a rocket
There are other items on the agenda for the two-hour meeting between Biden and Starmer.
Starmer said he was visiting Washington for “strategic meetings to discuss Ukraine and the Middle East.” It is the prime minister’s second meeting with Biden since his centre-left government was elected in July.
The war in the Middle East is also expected to be discussed.
Britain last week departed from the US by suspending arms exports to Israel over the risk they could be used to breach international law.
The meeting between Biden and Starmer also comes ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders this month at the United Nations General Assembly, which both men are expected to attend in New York.