Blinken travelling to London to discuss Middle East, Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to travel to London to discuss issues including the crisis in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, the State Department said on Saturday.

Blinken was was set to arrive in the United Kingdom on Monday for the two-day visit, ahead of a visit to Washington by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer later in the week.

The top U.S. diplomat was set to "open the U.S.-UK Strategic Dialogue, reaffirming our special relationship," said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in a brief statement.

"While in London, Secretary Blinken will also meet with senior government officials to discuss a range of critical issues, including the Indo-Pacific, AUKUS partnership, the Middle East, and our collective efforts to support Ukraine."

On Thursday, the White House announced that U.S. President Joe Biden would host Startmer in Washington for a bilateral meeting on Friday.

Support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia, reaching a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza and the tense situation in the Indo-Pacific are among the items on their agenda.