US President Joe Biden arrived in the UK on Sunday to meet King Charles III and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before departing for Lithuania for a NATO summit, Reuters reported. Biden's visit to UK comes amid concerns among US allies over its decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine amid its war with Russia.
On Monday, Biden will meet UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and both the leaders are expected to discuss various issues, including the war in Ukraine. This will be the fifth meeting between the leaders, reported news agency Reuters.
While Sunak has not directly criticised Biden over the cluster bomb decision, he last week said the UK was one of 123 countries signed up to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty that bans the production or use of the weapons, BBC reported.
Biden will then call upon King Charles at Windsor Castle for the first time since the monarch's coronation and discuss issues related to climate change. The White House said that the trip was designed "to further strengthen the close relationship between our nations."
As per a release issued by Sunak's office, he said, "As we face new and unprecedented challenges to our physical and economic security, our alliances are more important than ever. The UK is Europe's leading NATO ally, we are the United States' most important trade, defence and diplomatic partner, and we are at the forefront of providing Ukraine with the support they need to succeed on the battlefield."
For Biden, the trip's more high-profile part will be his meeting with King Charles at Windsor Castle, a place where his late mother Queen Elizabeth hosted Democratic President Barack Obama in 2016 and Trump in 2018. Biden had met the Queen in 2021 at the Castle.
As per the King's office, Biden will be received in the quadrangle of the castle. He will be welcomed with a guard of honour and will get a Royal Salute while the US national anthem plays. Following this, the discussion on climate issues will take place.
The 74-year-old King Charles has campaigned and spoken about the topic for over five decades now. Biden and King Charles had previously met at COP 26 in 2021, where the King praised Biden's leadership on the said topic by saying "We need you badly."
As per Reuters, US special climate envoy John Kerry, while talking to BBC, said that he had been invited to brief the King and Biden about a climate finance conference that he was due to host on Monday with British Energy Minister Grant Shapps.
Biden and Sunak will then head to Lithuania where they will gather along with other NATO leaders for a key summit. The US President is then expected to travel to Helsinki where he will be meeting with some Nordic leaders.