WASHINGTON — The struggle in Ukraine was high of U.Okay. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s agenda Wednesday as he began a two-day journey to Washington carrying the message that post-Brexit Britain stays an important American ally in a world of emboldened authoritarian states.

The U.S. and U.Okay. are the 2 largest navy donors to Ukraine, and the struggle would be the focus of Sunak’s assembly Thursday on the White House with President Joe Biden.

The breaching of a significant dam in southern Ukraine, which despatched floodwaters gushing by means of cities and over farmland, has given the topic added urgency. Neither Washington nor London has formally accused Russia of blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam.

Sunak stated Wednesday that U.Okay. intelligence companies are nonetheless assessing the proof, however “if it does prove to be intentional, it will represent a new low … an appalling barbarism on Russia’s part.”

“Russia throughout this war has used as a deliberate active strategy to target civilian infrastructure,” he instructed broadcaster ITV in Washington.

Britain and the U.S. are lead gamers in a world effort to offer Ukraine F-16 fighter jets, and talks are additionally prone to embrace further air protection measures towards Russian bombardment as Ukraine launches a counteroffensive to retake occupied territory.

PHOTOS: Rishi Sunak goes to Washington with Ukraine, financial system and AI on agenda for Biden assembly

Sunak started his go to by laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery to mark U.S.-U.Okay. navy ties. The journey is Sunak’s first to the U.S. capital since he took workplace in October, however his fourth assembly with Biden in as many months. The two leaders have crossed paths at a Group of Seven summit in Japan, in Northern Ireland and at a three-way protection assembly with Australia in San Diego.

Sunak, 43, and 80-year-old Biden are very totally different politicians. Sunak is an inheritor of free marketeer Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and cautious of massive authorities interventions within the financial system reminiscent of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, an enormous package deal of tax breaks and subsidies geared toward boosting inexperienced industries.

But he’s additionally pragmatic, and has restored stability to Britain’s authorities after the turbulent phrases of predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.

Johnson championed the populist Brexit motion and led Britain out of the European Union, a choice Biden has made clear he thinks has harm the U.Okay. Truss was in workplace for lower than two months, resigning after her rash tax-cutting plans sparked a monetary disaster.

Sunak, who was chosen by the governing Conservatives to exchange Truss, has reassured Washington by smoothing relations with the EU, hanging a cope with Brussels to resolve a long-festering dispute over Northern Ireland commerce.

In his assembly with Biden, Sunak will push for nearer financial ties between the U.S. and U.Okay., arguing that financial cooperation is as essential to safety as protection alliances.

“Just as interoperability between our militaries has given us a battlefield advantage over our adversaries, greater economic interoperability will give us a crucial edge in the decades ahead,” Sunak stated forward of the talks.

A British authorities official who previewed Sunak’s agenda on situation of anonymity stated Sunak desires to debate methods to guard provide chains from hostile actors and the way to make sure China doesn’t nook the market on producing semiconductors and different key elements.

He received’t, nevertheless, push for a U.Okay.-U.S. free commerce settlement. U.Okay. officers settle for that long-cherished objective of Brexit supporters is presently on ice.

Sunak, a Stanford University MBA graduate who goals of making a British Silicon Valley, additionally desires to debate the promise and perils of Artificial Intelligence. He’s keen to verify the U.Okay. is just not excluded from U.S.-EU talks on the topic.

Sunak has floated an concept that the U.Okay. might be a middle for regulating the fast-moving know-how, although no main information on that entrance is anticipated throughout his journey.

The prime minister’s spokesman, Max Blain, stated Britain’s strategy to regulation, “agile and able to adapt with the fast pace of this technology, makes the U.K. well placed to take a leading role here.”

Sunak can be prone to foyer for U.Okay. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace to change into the subsequent head of NATO after Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg steps down in September. The prime minister is anticipated to emphasize that the subsequent secretary-general needs to be somebody who “carries on Stoltenberg’s good work of modernization but also understands the importance of defense spending at this critical time.”

The remark might be seen as a delicate dig at one other attainable contender for the publish, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who met with Biden in Washington earlier this week. Denmark has lagged behind NATO’s goal for members to spend 2% of gross home product on navy budgets by 2030.

Sunak can be on account of meet U.S. enterprise executives and maintain talks with congressional leaders, together with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, on Capitol Hill. On Wednesday night he’ll attend a Washington Nationals baseball sport – although he received’t throw out the opening pitch, to the frustration of the British media.

Sunak careworn he was by no means meant to throw out the pitch on the sport, which incorporates navy bands and a flyover to rejoice of U.S.-U.Okay. ties.

“My sport is more cricket than baseball, in any case,” he stated.

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Lawless reported from London.

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