London — President Biden was in London Monday morning for a whistlestop, 24-hour go to to the UK earlier than heading for a NATO leaders summit in Lithuania. The primary assembly on Mr. Biden’s agenda after his Sunday evening arrival was a sit-down with U.Ok. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at his residence at No. 10 Downing Avenue. It was the president’s first in-person dialogue with a fellow world chief on the European journey because the U.S. and its NATO allies look to maintain a unified voice in assist of Ukraine as it battles Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Mr. Biden was heard saying as he walked into the British prime minister’s official residence that the U.S. has “no nearer pal and larger ally” and that the connection remained “rock stable.”
There was concern in Europe over the Biden administration’s resolution to ship controversial weapons to Ukraine, however also over the future of U.S. government backing for Ukraine when Mr. Biden’s first time period involves an finish. On each factors, the U.S. chief will likely be trying to reassure America’s closest allies that Washington stays not solely a dedicated companion however one which respects their humanitarian issues.
Mr. Biden has spoken with Sunak a handful of instances in latest months and their Monday assembly at Downing Avenue lasted solely about 40 minutes.
It got here after the U.S. introduced its newest navy help package deal for Ukraine, which for the primary time consists of controversial cluster munitions. The transfer has divided U.S. allies, a few of which — together with the U.Ok. — have lengthy banned use of the bombs.
Over the weekend, Sunak mentioned the U.Ok. “discourages” the usage of cluster munitions. NATO Secretary Common Jens Stoltenberg mentioned Friday, nonetheless, that NATO doesn’t have a place on the weapons and that their use is just not on the agenda for the summit that Mr. Biden will fly to affix in Lithuania after his cease in London.
One other situation dealing with Mr. Biden and Sunak, after which the opposite NATO leaders this week, is Sweden’s pending accession to the transatlantic alliance. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drove the beforehand impartial nations of Finland and Sweden to use for NATO membership. Finland has already turn out to be a full NATO member however Turkey and Hungary have to date blocked Sweden from becoming a member of.
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Mr. Biden was anticipated to talk Monday with Sunak about circumstances for a doable take care of Turkey to clear the best way.
Ukraine additionally needs to affix NATO, however permitting that to occur would infuriate Russia, probably draw sharp criticism from China and is a extra contentious situation among the many alliance’s current members.
In an interview aired by CNN over the weekend, Mr. Biden mentioned he did not assume Ukraine was “prepared for membership in NATO.”
“If the warfare is occurring, then we’re all in a warfare,” he mentioned, including that there are different {qualifications} Ukraine should nonetheless meet to be thought-about for membership, together with full “democratization.”
After his assembly with Sunak, Mr. Biden left central London to move west for his first in-person assembly with King Charles III at Windsor Citadel. Although not an official state go to, some traditional British pomp and circumstance was organized for Mr. Biden’s cease on the historical dwelling of the British monarchy, together with a navy Guard of Gonor and a marching band.
Mr. Biden has met Charles on a number of events, however not because the king’s formal coronation ceremony on Could 6. Mr. Biden didn’t attend the ceremony as he had simply been in Britain for a separate journey, however first girl Jill Biden was there.
One of many two heads of states’ latest conferences was on the COP26 local weather summit in Glasgow, in November 2021. On Monday, they have been anticipated to debate environmental points and greet attendees from a local weather finance discussion board that came about within the morning. Mr. Biden and Charles are anticipated to debate with companies leaders how personal business can finest sort out local weather change.
