LONDON (AP) — President Biden’s itinerary this week in Europe is dominated by the continued warfare in Ukraine and his continued efforts to rally a global coalition in opposition to Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
But first, some tea.
The U.S. president’s preliminary cease on his three-nation journey is Britain, the place he’ll meet with King Charles III for the primary time for the reason that latter was topped in May. Biden didn’t attend Charles’s coronation, sending first woman Jill Biden as an alternative, and Monday’s go to will probably be marked by a little bit of royal pomp — together with a royal salute, a viewing of U.S.-related artifacts at Windsor Castle and teatime for the 2 males.
Biden and Charles may also use their go to to deliver consideration to local weather points, internet hosting a discussion board that can give attention to the way to encourage personal firms to interact in additional clear vitality efforts, particularly in creating economies.
“The president has huge respect for the king’s commitment on the climate issue in particular, that he has been a clarion voice on this issue and more than that, has been an actor, someone who’s mobilized action and effort,” Jake Sullivan, the nationwide safety adviser, instructed reporters on Air Force One as Biden traveled to London. “So the president comes at this with enormous goodwill.”
That go to will probably be paired with what would be the sixth assembly between Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak since he assumed his position in October. It’s all meant to spotlight the so-called enduring “special relationship” between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. When Biden declined to attend Charles’s coronation, he promised the king in a cellphone name that he would go to quickly.
Biden final had formal talks with Charles, then prince, on the COP26 U.N. local weather summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021. The U.S. president additionally attended the state funeral of Charles’s mom, Queen Elizabeth II, in September in addition to a reception for heads of state at Buckingham Palace the night time earlier than the service.
The local weather portion of Biden and the king’s go to on Monday additionally underscores the excessive precedence that the surroundings has been for the 74-year-old Charles, who has lengthy fought to guard wildlife and battle local weather change. Formally known as the Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum, Biden and Charles will probably be briefed by officers from the monetary and philanthropic sectors on their discussions about increasing clear vitality initiatives in creating nations.
Before making his option to Windsor Castle, Biden will sit down with Sunak in a session that the White House says will give attention to a variety of worldwide points however is certain to be dominated by their continued efforts to again Ukraine. The two nations have been among the many most stalwart defenders of Kyiv, and the U.Okay. has pushed the White House to take extra aggressive steps in offering army support to Ukraine.
But now it’s the Biden administration that has taken steps that 10 Downing Street feels go too far, with the U.S. president’s resolution this week to offer Ukraine with cluster munitions, a weapon that greater than two-thirds of the members of the NATO army alliance have barred for his or her potential risk to civilian life.
Biden has acknowledged that offering the bombs – which open mid-air and launch smaller “bomblets” throughout a broad swath of land – was a “difficult decision” however he famous that the Ukrainians are operating out of ammunition and that the weapons have been needed for them to proceed their struggle in opposition to Russian forces.
“It took me a while to be convinced to do it,” Biden mentioned in a CNN interview forward of his journey to Europe. “But the main thing is, they either have the weapons to stop the Russians … from stopping the Ukrainian offensive through these areas, or they don’t. And I think they needed them.”
Sunak, for his half, has distanced himself from the U.S. resolution to ship cluster bombs to Ukraine.
“The U.K. is signatory to a convention which prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their use,” he instructed broadcasters on Saturday. The U.S. just isn’t a celebration to that settlement.
“We will continue to do our part to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion, but we’ve done that by providing heavy battle tanks and most recently long-range weapons, and hopefully all countries can continue to support Ukraine,” Sunak added.
Sullivan downplayed the disagreement over cluster munitions, saying that “I think you will find Prime Minister Sunak and President Biden on the same page strategically on Ukraine, in lockstep on the bigger picture of what we’re trying to accomplish and as united as ever – both in this conflict and writ large.”
The prime minister’s workplace mentioned his assembly with Biden on Monday “will be an opportunity to monitor progress on measures and initiatives under the Atlantic Declaration,” which the 2 leaders signed when Sunak visited the White House final month.
“This includes negotiations which have now begun on a U.K.-U.S. Critical Minerals Agreement, which will support the UK and US’ shared leadership in green technology,” the assertion mentioned.
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