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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 night time arrival was a sit-down with U.Okay. 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 take care of a unified voice in assist of Ukraine because 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 higher ally” and that the connection remained “rock stable.”
There was concern in Europe over the Biden administration’s determination to ship controversial weapons to Ukraine, however additionally over the way forward for U.S. authorities backing for Ukraine when Mr. Biden’s first time period involves an finish. On each factors, the U.S. chief might be trying to reassure America’s closest allies that Washington stays not solely a dedicated associate however one which respects their humanitarian considerations.
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 assist package deal for Ukraine, which for the primary time contains controversial cluster munitions. The transfer has divided U.S. allies, a few of which — together with the U.Okay. — have lengthy banned use of the bombs.
Over the weekend, Sunak stated the U.Okay. “discourages” the usage of cluster munitions. NATO Secretary Common Jens Stoltenberg stated Friday, nonetheless, that NATO doesn’t have a place on the weapons and that their use shouldn’t be on the agenda for the summit that Mr. Biden will fly to hitch in Lithuania after his cease in London.
One other concern going through 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 international locations of Finland and Sweden to use for NATO membership. Finland has already change into a full NATO member however Turkey and Hungary have up to now blocked Sweden from becoming a member of.
Mr. Biden was anticipated to talk Monday with Sunak about circumstances for a potential take care of Turkey to clear the best way.
Ukraine additionally needs to hitch NATO, however permitting that to occur would infuriate Russia, doubtless draw sharp criticism from China and is a extra contentious concern among the many alliance’s current members.
In an interview aired by CNN over the weekend, Mr. Biden stated he did not assume Ukraine was “prepared for membership in NATO.”
“If the conflict is happening, then we’re all in a conflict,” he stated, including that there are different {qualifications} Ukraine should nonetheless meet to be thought of 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 basic British pomp and circumstance was organized for Mr. Biden’s cease on the historic 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 for the reason that 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 woman 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 befell within the morning. Mr. Biden and Charles are anticipated to debate with companies leaders how non-public business can finest sort out local weather change.
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