The United Kingdom's Minister of State for Europe and North America will visit state leaders and deliver a speech Tuesday to the Missouri House.
Minister James Cleverly is scheduled to meet with Gov. Mike Parson, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and state lawmakers Tuesday morning. He'll speak with legislators at 9:30 a.m. in the House Lounge before giving a speech to the full House chamber at 10 a.m.
Cleverly is expected to talk about trade between the UK and Missouri and the role states can play in shaping the U.S.-UK relations, such as support for Ukraine.
State Rep. Derek Grier, R-Chesterfield, and the Friends of the UK Caucus invited the foreign dignitary to build on continued trade relations between Missouri and the UK.
Following his time at the Capitol, Cleverly is scheduled to visit the National Churchill Museum in Fulton, where he will also give a speech.
"In a time when conflict in Europe is once again a reality, the words Winston Churchill spoke in 1946 in Fulton, Missouri, now have a new relevance and impact," Grier said in a news release. "Minister Cleverly's visit to Missouri and to the National Churchill Museum reminds us to focus once again on the need to stand against tyranny, together. It is essential that we continue to build a stronger bond in these troubling times, and I am proud to stand, along with the State of Missouri, alongside our allies."
Missouri is the first state in the country to have a Friends of the UK Caucus and last month, Parson visited the UK and Ireland for an international trade mission.
Parson said the mission was a tremendous success in showing international partners what Missouri can offer. He said the state is an ideal business location and the mission gave him the opportunity to showcase that to business leaders across the pond.