President Biden made a brief visit to London on Monday before attending the NATO leaders summit in Lithuania. His first order of business was a meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at No. 10 Downing Street. As the US and its NATO allies aim to present a united front in support of Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing invasion, President Biden reaffirmed the strong and solid relationship between the US and the UK. There has been European concern over the US administration’s decision to send controversial weapons to Ukraine and the future of US support for Ukraine after Biden’s term. President Biden reassured the UK that the US remains committed to its allies and respects their humanitarian concerns.
The meeting between President Biden and Sunak lasted about 40 minutes and took place after the US announced a new military aid package for Ukraine that includes controversial cluster munitions. This move has divided US allies, some of whom, including the UK, have banned the use of these bombs under an international treaty. The UK reaffirmed its commitment to the treaty and stated that decisions regarding cluster munitions are up to each country. NATO does not have a position on cluster munitions, and it was not on the agenda for the summit in Lithuania.
Another issue at hand for President Biden and the NATO leaders is Sweden’s potential accession to the alliance. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led Finland and Sweden, previously neutral countries, to apply for NATO membership. Finland has already become a NATO member, but Sweden’s membership has been blocked by Turkey and Hungary. Possible conditions for a deal with Turkey to unblock Sweden’s membership were expected to be discussed during President Biden’s meeting with Sunak.
President Biden then traveled to Windsor Castle for a private meeting with King Charles III. Classic British ceremony greeted the US president, who had met with the king before but not since the official coronation ceremony in May. The two leaders discussed environmental issues and met with attendees from a climate finance forum. They also engaged with business leaders to explore how the private industry can effectively address climate change.
Overall, President Biden’s visit to the UK and his discussions with Prime Minister Sunak and King Charles III focused on reinforcing the commitment to Ukraine, addressing concerns over controversial weapons, and discussing Sweden’s potential NATO membership. The meetings also provided an opportunity to collaborate on environmental issues and seek private industry engagement in combating climate change.
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