Biden in UK for Talks with Sunak Ahead of Crucial NATO Summit

By Staff, Agencies

US President Joe Biden arrived in Britain on Monday for a brief visit during which he will meet King Charles III and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before going on to a NATO summit in Lithuania.

Ahead of the visit, the White House said Biden would seek to "further strengthen the close relationship" with Britain. Downing Street in turn said the president's visit "reflects the strong relationship" between the two countries.

The king will host Biden at Windsor Castle, a royal residence west of London, where they are due to discuss climate issues, long a subject close to Charles' heart. It will be their first meeting since the monarch's coronation in early May.

Earlier in the day, Biden will meet Sunak for their fifth meeting in recent months. The talks will be an opportunity for the two leaders to "compare notes" on Ukraine ahead of a meeting with fellow NATO leaders in Lithuania, Amanda Sloat, National Security Council senior director for Europe, said in a briefing on Friday.

NATO allies will meet in the capital, Vilnius, on Tuesday and Wednesday for a summit where Ukraine is hoping for a clear signal that it could one day join the US-led alliance. From Lithuania, Biden will travel to Finland, NATO's newest member, for a US-Nordic Leaders Summit.