Sir Keir Starmer has defended Joe Biden's leadership of the Nato summit despite the US President mistakenly calling Volodymyr Zelensky “President Putin” at a Washington event. The Prime Minister, speaking at a press conference after the summit, urged people to focus on the substance of what had been achieved, saying President Biden “deserves credit” for guiding the alliance through discussions on Ukraine.
The US President's blunder occurred as he introduced the Ukrainian leader at a gathering attended by Sir Keir. Mr Biden immediately corrected himself, saying: “President Putin? He's going to beat president Putin. President Zelensky.” The incident has intensified questions about the 81-year-old's cognitive health, following criticism of his performance in a televised debate against Donald Trump last month.
Asked about Mr Biden's mental capacity, Sir Keir repeatedly sidestepped direct answers, instead highlighting the summit's outcomes. “When we think of the global threats, that is the best possible outcome we could have had today,” he said. He dismissed a question about whether the President was capable of serving four more years, returning to the theme of “renewed confidence and resolve” in countering Russian aggression.
The Prime Minister had earlier praised Mr Biden after their first bilateral talks at the White House on Wednesday, telling a US broadcaster the meeting had lasted nearly an hour and that the President was “across all the detail” and “on really good form”. When asked directly if Mr Biden was senile, Sir Keir replied: “No… he's shown incredible leadership.”
President Biden has resisted calls to drop his re-election bid, despite mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and fundraisers, including actor George Clooney, following his stumbling debate performance. Sir Keir's defence of the President came as Nato leaders concluded a summit focused on strengthening support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.
