Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Biden discussed the Atlantic Declaration and progress in clean energy, minerals, and defence cooperation
Ultimately, the meeting made a mark of the leaders of the UK and US coming together to enhance their partnership and engage in discussions on pressing global issues.
PM Sunak welcomed President Joe Biden to Downing Street, where they engaged in productive discussions this morning.
Both leaders of the UK and US highlighted the progress achieved since the announcement of the Atlantic Declaration, a pioneering framework aimed at strengthening the economic partnership between the UK and the US.
Progress on Atlantic declaration and economic partnership
During their meeting, Prime Minister Sunak and President Biden reviewed the advancements made since their last encounter in the White House.
They lauded the initiation of the UK and US Critical Minerals Agreement and the inaugural session of the Joint Action Group on Energy Security, which focused on fortifying clean energy supply chains.
Advancing clean energy and critical minerals agreements
The leaders expressed their commitment to prioritising clean energy and critical minerals cooperation, acknowledging the significance of these sectors for sustainable development in both the UK and US.
To expedite progress, PM Sunak and President Biden agreed to schedule the first high-level meeting between Number 10 and White House representatives for October, aimed explicitly at driving advancements under the Atlantic Declaration.
High-level UK and US government meeting scheduled for October
In addition to economic collaboration, Prime Minister Sunak updated President Biden on the forthcoming UK AI Summit, scheduled for this autumn.
The President expressed unwavering support for this initiative, further cementing the strong ties between the United States and the United Kingdom.
UK and US to focus on NATO, Ukraine and geopolitics
Anticipating the NATO Summit later in the week, the Prime Minister Sunak and President Biden emphasised the importance of bolstering the alliance and maintaining support for Ukraine.
They discussed the progress of the counter-offensive and stressed the necessity of international partners committing to Ukraine’s long-term defence, ensuring it receives the necessary support to achieve a wave of peace.
Broader NATO matters were also deliberated upon, with both leaders agreeing on the swift accession of Sweden to NATO.
Furthermore, they engaged in conversations regarding the geopolitical context, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region and concerning Iran.
Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden affirmed the value of their friendship and the need to maintain an ongoing, close dialogue, underscoring the importance of their collaboration in addressing global challenges.
