America will always defend democracy in its hour of need.

We tell our allies we will stand with you.

We tell our adversaries, don't mess with us. We tell the world.

We will do everything to defend.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer struck a hopeful note as Congress finally approved a multi-billion dollar

package of support to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan earlier this week.

From America's allies and Ukraine, in particular, a collective sigh of relief.

Equally so, I think, in the surroundings I'm in tonight to bring you a very special edition

of the Power Play Podcast from the British Embassy here in Washington, D.C.

Welcome to Power Play from Politico, where we talk to some of the world's most influential

people on either side of the Atlantic.

I'm Anne McElvoy, your host, and joining me this week from 3,100 Massachusetts Avenue is Dame Karen Pierce, the UK's ambassador to the United States.

We are, as you can tell if you're here, that maybe not if you're listening in front of a larger audience

outside Edwin Lutian's imposing building a hub of the ties between the two nations

throughout the political hurly- burly of many decades.

Someone who's seen that up close as a reporter, editor and founder

is John Harris, Politico's global editor-in-chief,

veteran observer of events on both sides of the pond, John Harris.

John is going to be joining me a little later on the podcast to reflect on Dame Karen's

conversation and also seeing as political likes the inside track to tell us what

to watch out for as we head into one of the biggest weekends in Washington's

social calendar the White House, Correspondence Dinner and all that goes on around it.

...