LONDON—President Joe Biden met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today in London before heading to Windsor Castle for tea with King Charles during his visit to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Biden told Mr. Sunak that the relationship between the two countries was “rock solid” amid a recent controversy over the shipment of cluster munitions to Ukraine.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about. I think we’re doing well. We’re moving along in a way that’s positive. But our relationship is rock solid,” Mr. Biden said.
The two leaders met for around 40 minutes at 10 Downing Street, the British leader’s official residence and office. This was the two leaders’ sixth meeting in six months.
Mr. Biden is set to go to Vilnius, Lithuania, following his meeting with the king, to attend the high-stakes North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit on July 11 and 12.
Mr. Biden’s five-day trip to Europe this week has been overshadowed in part by his recent decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, weapons that are banned by more than 100 countries, including U.S. allies France, Germany, and the UK.
In 2008, these countries agreed in Oslo, Norway, to outlaw “all use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions.”
The United States and Russia are not parties to this agreement.
“It took me a while to be convinced to do it,” Mr. Biden told CNN in an interview on July 9 regarding his decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine.
Human rights groups reacted quickly to the decision, with Amnesty International declaring in a statement that cluster munitions pose “a grave threat to civilian lives, even long after the conflict has ended.”
The White House, however, is confident that the recent decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine will not shake its relations with the UK and other allies.
“I do not think you will see fracture, division, or disunity,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on July 9 on the way to London.
Mr. Sullivan denied that this calls into question the NATO alliance’s unity.
Mr. Sunak paid a visit to the White House on June 8, when the two leaders signed the Atlantic Declaration, a new economic accord to deepen economic ties. They agreed to enhance critical mineral supply chains, collaborate on emerging technologies, and limit outbound investments and exports to high-risk countries such as China.
The White House described the meeting with Mr. Sunak in London as a continuation of a long-running dialogue rather than a formal meeting.
“They will have the chance to compare notes going into the Vilnius summit to talk about the issues on the agenda in Vilnius, to talk about progress in the war in Ukraine, and, of course, to talk about a range of other issues from China to climate to technology to artificial intelligence,” Mr. Sullivan said.
“And then beyond that, the president and Prime Minister Sunak have a very good personal relationship,” Mr. Sullivan added.
The president is also scheduled to join King Charles on Monday for a ceremonial arrival and inspection of the Honor Guard at Windsor Castle, which is about an hour’s drive from London.
Following that, the president will meet with the king and participate in a climate engagement with philanthropists and investors at the castle, according to the White House.
