UK: On Monday, US President Joe Biden stopped by the palace for tea with King Charles III and discussions about climate change after having a garden meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a NATO leaders' summit on Ukraine.
From Downing Street in the heart of London, Biden, 80, took his Marine One chopper to Windsor Castle, where he was formally welcomed by a group of red-jacketed Welsh Guards.
Before the pair entered the stately royal residence west of London, "God Save the King" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" resounded across the well-kept lawns.
Charles and Biden were interacting for the first time since the official coronation in May. The US president was represented at the coronation by First Lady Jill, even though he was unable to attend.
The couple attended Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral in September of last year, and after the G7 summit in 2021, Biden paid the late monarch a visit at Windsor.
According to Jake Sullivan, national security adviser at the White House, Charles, 74, has been an environmentalist his entire life and is regarded by Biden as a "clarion voice" on the issue of climate change.
To increase support for developing countries' efforts to reduce carbon emissions, leading financiers and philanthropists are also gathering in Windsor to discuss climate finance.
Grant Shapps, the UK's minister for energy security and net zero, and John Kerry, Biden's special envoy for climate change, are present at the meeting.
The UK government estimated that more than $1 trillion will be required by 2030 to put developing nations on a path to 2050 net-zero carbon emissions.
Also Read: Investigation into the Greek migrant tragedy questions the coast guard's version of events
To reduce non-CO2 emissions, stop deforestation, and build resilience to climate change, more investment is needed, including from the private sector.
Biden is travelling to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, for the two-day NATO meeting after arriving in the UK late on Sunday on Air Force One.
With Ukraine at the top of the agenda for the upcoming alliance meeting as Kyiv pushes to join once its war with Russia is over, Biden made a quick trip to the UK.
Allies of the West concur that Ukraine cannot join the war while it is still in progress because doing so would pit NATO against nuclear-armed Russia.
However, the perception of the United States' membership hesitancy is the greatest. According to Biden, Kiev's bid is "premature."
"I don't think it's ready for membership in NATO," he told CNN.
The allies were "set" to abandon the Membership Action Plane requirement for Ukraine's application, a Western official told AFP.
Sitting in wicker chairs and drinking from specially branded Downing Street mugs, Biden and Sunak had a conversation that lasted just under 40 minutes.
In a statement, Downing Street stated that the two "agreed on the need to strengthen our alliance and maintain our support for Ukraine."
In addition, Sunak downplayed any rumours of a rift after some Western allies questioned the US's supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine and after rights organisations expressed concern about the dangers these weapons pose to civilians.
The issue was discussed, the prime minister's official spokesman told reporters later, while acknowledging that giving the weapons "was a difficult choice for the US."
However, he continued, "Russia's war of aggression forced it on them.
As the UK leader works to mend transatlantic ties damaged by the turbulent terms of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, Biden and Sunak have met frequently in recent months.
Infighting between the UK and the EU over trade in Northern Ireland after Brexit has been blamed in part on Irish-American Vice President Joe Biden.
Since Sunak and Brussels reached an agreement regarding the flow of goods, relations have improved, safeguarding the hard-won peace that had been achieved after 30 years of unrest over British rule in the province.
Also Read: Manila urges the remaining Filipinos in Sudan to leave as security deteriorates
Asserting that he "couldn't be meeting with a closer friend and greater ally," Biden told reporters, "Our relationship is rock solid."
For a summit of US and Nordic leaders, Biden departs from Lithuania and travels to Finland, the newest member of NATO
