Yvette Cooper will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss peace efforts in Ukraine and Gaza, and a global summit on illicit finance
LONDON: British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will travel to Washington on Monday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The UK Foreign Office announced the visit, which will focus on intensified diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
It is Cooper’s first trip to the US capital since becoming Britain’s top diplomat in September.
Her visit coincides with a London summit where Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alongside the leaders of France and Germany.
The Washington meetings follow days of talks last week between Ukrainian and US officials in Miami over a US-led peace plan.
Zelensky said on Saturday he had a “very substantive and constructive” call with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The Foreign Office stated that the UK and US will reaffirm their commitment to reaching a peace deal in Ukraine.
It noted Britain supports “President Trump’s ongoing efforts to secure a just and lasting peace”.
Talks will also focus on the situation in Gaza and US efforts to sustain a ceasefire there.
A fragile US-backed ceasefire and hostage deal ended two years of full-scale fighting in October.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he expects to move into the second phase of the US-sponsored Gaza ceasefire plan “very shortly”.
Cooper will additionally discuss the ongoing conflict in Sudan and the need for a humanitarian truce.
Separately, Cooper announced London will host a major international summit next summer to tackle global “flows of dirty money”.
The Illicit Finance Summit on June 23-24 will convene governments, civil society and private sector representatives. – AFP
