Starmer arrives in Germany for talks on Ukraine and Middle East conflictsThe prime minister has arrived in Berlin ahead of a meeting with the leaders of the US, France and Germany. The so-called “Quad” meeting on Friday afternoon is expected to discuss the war in Ukraine and the spiralling conflict in the Middle East.
Keir Starmer was greeted by German chancellor Olaf Scholz as he arrived ahead of the discussions.
The trip comes after Israel announced on Thursday its military had killed the Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar; presenting his death as a turning point in the country’s campaign against the group.
The White House confirmed the US president Joe Biden will meet Starmer and the French president Emmanuel Macron to discuss “the pathway ahead in Ukraine” and “the ongoing and fast-moving developments across the Middle East”.
Biden said Sinwar’s killing was a “good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world”, with officials in Washington expressing muted optimism that his death may remove a key obstacle in ceasefire talks that have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
Starmer said the UK “will not mourn” the death of the mastermind of Hamas’ 7 October attacks, as he repeated calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.