British Foreign Secretary Lammy to hold talks with Blinken in London

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy will host U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in London on Tuesday, the British government said, with discussions to include support for Ukraine and the de-escalation of violence in the Middle East. The trip comes as a senior Iranian official denied reports that Tehran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, information a European Union spokesperson described as "credible". Lammy and Blinken will open talks on a UK-US Strategic Dialogue to strengthen ties which deliver growth and security, the British government said.

LONDON (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary David Lammy will host U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in London on Tuesday, the British government said, with discussions to include support for Ukraine and the de-escalation of violence in the Middle East.

The trip comes as a senior Iranian official denied reports that Tehran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, information a European Union spokesperson described as "credible". Lammy and Blinken will open talks on a UK-US Strategic Dialogue to strengthen ties which deliver growth and security, the British government said. This will cover key elements of the UK-US relationship, including defence and security, Europe, Ukraine, the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and other global priorities, it added.

"In a more volatile and insecure world, it is even more important that we are highly aligned nations," Lammy said in a statement ahead of the meeting. "Together we are re-energising our economic partnership, working together to tackle insecurity abroad and facing the future in unity and confidence." (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Ros Russell).