Biden talks about Ukraine with Sunak and climate crisis with Charles III on London visit
US President Joe Biden left the United Kingdom on Monday after a brief visit, during which he discussed the war in Ukraine with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the climate crisis with King Charles III, before heading to the NATO summit in Vilnius.
Air Force One took off at around 15:30 local time (14:30 GMT) from Stansted airport in north London for Lithuania, where the allies will discuss aid to Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion and Ukraine's bid to join the Atlantic Alliance.
In the meeting with Sunak at Downing Street, the two leaders discussed the progress of the counteroffensive in Ukraine and the importance of supporting Ukraine to win the war, according to British officials.
The president described the relationship between his country and the UK as "rock solid", he said as he took tea with Sunak in the gardens of the prime minister's official residence.
Ahead of the NATO summit, Biden and Sunak agreed on the need to ensure that Sweden can quickly join the Atlantic Alliance.
"The Prime Minister and President Biden also discussed the broader geopolitical context, including in the Indo-Pacific and Iran," the sources added.
According to the White House, the two also discussed the latest developments in Northern Ireland "and efforts to achieve continued progress there".
This was the first visit by the US head of state to the UK since his visit last April to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement, which ended the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Today's visit to London followed the controversy over the US decision to supply cluster bombs to Ukraine, despite the controversy surrounding the munition because it releases small bombs that can cause large numbers of civilian casualties over a wide area.
The British government, for its part, has distanced itself from this decision after Sunak indicated that the UK opposes cluster bombs as it is a party to the convention banning them.
Helping developing countries
Later, at Windsor Castle, President Biden was greeted by a guard of honour before entering the fortress for tea with the British monarch to discuss the climate crisis.
Biden and the King spoke with participants at a forum to find ways to raise funds to help developing countries tackle the climate crisis.
Among those present were US Special Climate Envoy John Kerry, UK Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Grant Shapps, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and HSBC CEO Noel Quinn, among others.
Shapps said in his speech that the UK was "very pleased" with the climate targets contained in the inflation reduction bill promoted by Biden and the Democrats in the United States.
Kerry said the world was in "uncharted territory" in the face of rising global temperatures, which "terrifies" scientists.
Biden thanked the monarch for organising the event, and after greeting and chatting briefly with those present, he took a helicopter to Stansted to board Air Force One for Vilnius.
Biden's trip came amid criticism from conservative and royalist quarters after he did not travel to London in May to attend the coronation of Charles III, who ascended the throne on 8 September following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.