LONDON — President Biden was in London on Monday morning for a round-the-clock visit to the United Kingdom before heading to a NATO summit of leaders in Lithuania later in the day. The first meeting on Mr Biden’s agenda after his arrival on Sunday evening was with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at his residence at 10 Downing Street. It was the President’s first face-to-face meeting with another world leader on the Europe trip, as the US and its NATO allies seek to maintain a unified voice in support of Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s ongoing invasion.
As Mr Biden entered the British Prime Minister’s official residence, he was heard saying that the US had “no closer friend and greater ally” and that relations remained “rock-solid”.
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In Europe, there was concern over the Biden administration’s decision to send controversial weapons to Ukraine, but also over the future of US government support for Ukraine when Mr Biden’s first term comes to an end. On both counts, the US leader will seek to reassure America’s closest allies that Washington remains not only a committed partner, but also one that respects their humanitarian concerns.
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Mr Biden has spoken to Sunak on a couple of occasions in recent months and their meeting in Downing Street on Monday only lasted around 40 minutes.
This comes after the US announced its latest military aid package to Ukraine, which includes controversial cluster munitions for the first time. The move has divided US allies, some of whom – including Britain – have banned use of the bombs under an international treaty signed by around 123 nations in 2008.
A spokesman for Sunak’s office said after the meeting between him and Mr Biden that Britain “stands by our obligations under the convention, which includes stopping its use”.
“We haven’t changed anything about that,” the spokesman told reporters, adding, “Of course it’s up to each country to make a decision.”
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The US, Russia and Ukraine are not signatories to the 2008 treaty. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that NATO has no position on cluster munitions and that their use is not on the agenda of the summit Mr Biden will attend after his stay in London in Lithuania will attend.
After their meeting, the White House said Mr. Biden and Sunak “reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression.”
Another issue facing Mr Biden, Sunak and then the other NATO leaders in Lithuania this week is Sweden’s impending entry into the transatlantic alliance. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted previously neutral countries Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership. Finland has already become a full member of NATO, but Turkey and Hungary have so far prevented Sweden from joining.
President Biden shakes hands with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before their meeting at 10 Downing Street in London on July 10, 2023. Chris J Ratcliffe/Bloomberg/Getty
Mr. Biden was expected to discuss with Sunak the terms of a possible deal with Turkey to pave the way, but the White House did not mention the issue in the reading of his meeting.
Ukraine also wants to join NATO, but allowing it would anger Russia, is likely to draw sharp criticism from China, and is a more contentious issue among existing members of the alliance.
In an interview broadcast by CNN over the weekend, Mr Biden said he did not believe Ukraine was “ready for NATO membership”.
“If the war goes on, then we are all at war,” he said, adding that Ukraine still had to meet other requirements to be eligible for membership, including full “democratization”.
King Charles III and President Biden listen to the performance of the US national anthem by the Band of the Welsh Guards at Windsor Castle July 10, 2023 in Windsor, England. Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty
Following his meeting with Sunak, Mr Biden left central London and headed west for his first face-to-face meeting with King Charles III. at Windsor Castle. While not an official state visit, some classic British staterooms, including a military honor guard and brass band, were organized for Mr Biden’s stay in the ancient home of the British monarchy.
Mr. Biden had met Charles several times, but not since the King’s official coronation ceremony on May 6. Mr. Biden did not attend the ceremony as he had just been to the UK on another trip, but First Lady Jill Biden was there.
The US President spent about two hours in Windsor on Monday, but his meeting with the king was private.
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The two heads of state met at the COP26 climate summit in Scotland in November 2021 and discussed environmental issues on Monday and welcomed participants at a climate finance forum that took place in the morning. Mr. Biden and Charles met business leaders and were set to discuss how private business can best tackle climate change.
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