President Joe Biden on Friday criticized a British journalist who asked him a question about Vladimir Putin before Biden had a chance to make his opening remarks in his meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“I’m telling you to shut up until I speak, okay? That’s what I’m telling you. Good idea?” Biden told the Sky News reporter.
When pressed by the reporter, Biden said: “You need to be quiet and I’ll make a statement, OK?”
The president and Starmer, who were meeting in the Blue Room of the White House, then made their opening remarks on their meeting.
Traditionally, leaders make their statements and then reporters can ask their questions. That is standard protocol at meetings of foreign leaders. Biden told Starmer: “I have often said there is no issue of global importance on which the United States and the United Kingdom cannot work together and have not already done so.”
Starmer thanked Biden for the invitation to return to the White House just two months after their previous meeting.
President Joe Biden yelled at a British journalist 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 signaled a new openness to allowing Ukraine to send long-range missiles to Russia, amid a warning from Putin that such a move would lead to “war.”
Biden and Starmer are discussing the issue at their meeting, although the White House has cautioned that a final decision on the matter is not expected today.
“We’re going to discuss that now,” Biden said when asked about Ukraine’s desire to use long-range missiles inside Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to use U.S. military tactical missile systems, known as ATACMS, to launch them against targets inside Russia. Biden has not yet given his consent.
But the UK has sent its own long-range Storm Shadow missiles to kyiv. Their use, along with similar weapons from France, is currently limited to inside Ukraine.
A change in that policy will require US approval, which is what Biden and Starmer will discuss at their meeting today.
President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met in the Blue Room of the White House on Friday afternoon.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Washington
Putin has upped the ante, warning NATO leaders that lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles would be considered an act of war.
“This will mean that NATO countries, namely the United States and European countries, are at war with Russia. And if this is the case, taking into account the change in the nature of the conflict, we will take appropriate decisions in response to the threats that arise,” Putin told reporters in Russia yesterday.
He said he would follow up that move with “appropriate decisions.”
Starmer ignored Putin’s threat.
Speaking to reporters on his way to Washington DC, the British prime minister insisted that the Russian leader started the war in Ukraine and could end the fighting “immediately”.
“There are likely to be some really significant developments in the coming weeks and months, both in Ukraine and in the Middle East, and so a number of tactical decisions need to be taken,” Sir Keir said.
He added: “Russia started this conflict. Russia invaded Ukraine illegally. Russia can end this conflict immediately.”
‘Ukraine has the right to self-defense and we have obviously fully supported that right by providing training capabilities.
“But we are not seeking any conflict with Russia, that is not our intention at all. But they started this conflict and Ukraine has the right to self-defense.”
For his part, Biden has long resisted calls from Ukrainian officials to ease restrictions on missile use.
But as the war continues – and concerns grow over Iran’s supply of ballistic missiles to Russia – a change of strategy is being considered.
“We’re working on that right now,” Biden said earlier this week when asked if he would allow Western missiles to target military facilities inside Russia.
President Joe Biden is considering whether to allow Western missile launches toward Russia
Vladimir Putin warns that Ukraine’s use of Western missiles in Russia would lead to a “war”
The New York Times reported, citing European officials, that the United States appears willing to approve Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles against targets in Russia on the condition that the weapons are not those provided by the United States.
Asked about escalation concerns, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that they are a factor, but “certainly not the only factor.”
He said the United States is always ready to adjust its strategy to help Ukraine.
“From day one, as you heard me say, we’ve adjusted and adapted as the needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed, and I have no doubt that we will continue to do so as this evolves,” Blinken said at a news conference in kyiv.
No formal announcement of a decision is expected on Friday after the two leaders’ meeting.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy suggested discussions could continue beyond Friday, tempering expectations of a robust 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
A Ukrainian soldier in a mortar unit prepares to fire a missile
There are other issues on the agenda for Biden and Starmer’s two-hour meeting.
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 expected to be discussed.
Last week, Britain broke with the United States by suspending some arms exports to Israel because of the risk that they could be used to violate international law.
Biden and Starmer’s meeting also comes ahead of this month’s annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. Both are expected to attend that meeting in New York.