- Foreign Secretary begins a visit to
Washington DC and Toronto to deepen diplomatic, trade and
security ties and to keep up the fight against Putin's illegal
invasion
-
to meet US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly
and other senior government figures.
- The Foreign Secretary will discuss
coordinated efforts to help Ukraine prevail over Russian
aggression, as well as deepening our cooperation in the
Indo-Pacific, and on intelligence, security and humanitarian
issues.
Foreign Secretary begins his first bilateral
visit in post to North America today (Tuesday 17 January) to
deepen diplomatic, trade, intelligence and security ties and to
stand against Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
will hold an intensive round
of diplomatic talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in
Washington and Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly
in Toronto, to encourage international cooperation and support
for Ukraine as we approach the second year of the conflict.
The Foreign Secretary will stress to the two allies that now is
the time to go further and faster in giving Ukraine the tools to
win the war. He will underline that, with the right equipment,
the Ukrainian people will prevail. This is part of the Prime
Minister’s commitment to accelerate the UK’s diplomatic and
military support in the coming weeks in a bid to push Russia
further back and secure a lasting peace.
The UK has already committed to match or exceed funding for
military aid to Ukraine in 2023. Last year the UK provided £2.3bn
in military support that has already helped turn the tide in the
war and secure successive Ukrainian battlefield victories.
Foreign Secretary, said:
"The UK, US and Canada always have each other's backs when it
counts, protecting the rules-based order for nearly eighty
years.
"Today we stand united against Putin's illegal war, and we
will continue to use our uniquely strong defence and security
ties to ensure that, in the end, the Ukrainian people will
win."
The Foreign Secretary will also raise Iran with counterparts,
after the UK temporarily recalled its Ambassador to Iran and
sanctioned Iran’s Prosecutor General, following the execution of
British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari.
During his visit to the US, the Foreign Secretary will set out
the UK's foreign policy priorities at a live event at the Centre
for Strategic & International Studies in Washington DC on
Tuesday. On Wednesday he will lay a wreath at the US Army
Arlington National Cemetery.
In Canada on Wednesday, the Foreign Secretary and Foreign
Minister Joly will discuss closer coordination on sanctions, and
he will welcome Canada's leadership in standing up against the
arbitrary detention of foreign nationals for diplomatic ends.
He will also discuss the UK's ongoing efforts to accede to the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP), and progress towards a bilateral free trade
agreement.
Following bilateral talks, the Foreign Secretary and Foreign
Minister Joly will meet members of the Ukrainian diaspora. In
Toronto he will also meet representatives of major Canadian
pension funds, as key investors into the UK.
The extensive visit programme reflects the immense value the UK
places on its relationships with the US and Canada, and
underlines the UK's role as a steadfast ally, defence partner,
and a great place to do business.
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The Foreign Secretary’s remarks at
Centre for Strategic and International Studies will begin at
14.15 UK time / 09.15 DC time on Tuesday 17 January. They are
available to watch – https://www.youtube.com/user/csisdc
- The Foreign Secretary will also
give a joint press conference with Secretary Blinken following
their bilateral meeting at 20.30 UK time / 15.30 DC time on
Tuesday 17 January. It will be available to watch here -
https://www.youtube.com/user/statevideo
