Consultations to Strengthen US-UK Relations; Biden and Sunak Met at the White House

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met to discuss various issues including strengthening economic ties between the two countries and the war in Ukraine. The last meeting between the leaders of the US and UK took place last month at the annual G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan. In this meeting, which occurred on Thursday, June 8, at the White House, they addressed topics such as artificial intelligence security, issues related to Northern Ireland, and shared interests in economic and security matters, including in Asia. Rishi Sunak referred to the war in Ukraine as 'the first war on the European continent in half a century' and emphasized that the US and UK have supported Ukraine together as they have in the past. Reuters reported that other topics discussed during the Thursday meeting included 'artificial intelligence security.' The first meeting related to international cooperation to mitigate risks from artificial intelligence is scheduled to be held this fall in the UK. Additionally, Rishi Sunak intends to emphasize strengthening trade relations between the two countries during his current meeting with Joe Biden. The UK Prime Minister assessed a new treaty between the US and UK as beneficial for guiding the global economy, especially in light of new powers attempting to seize important global resources. It is also expected that the appointment of a new NATO Secretary General will be among the topics discussed between the two close allies. According to Reuters, the UK Prime Minister will seek US support for the candidacy of Ben Wallace, the current UK Defense Minister, as a candidate for the NATO Secretary General position. Following this meeting, Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak are set to issue a joint statement and hold a joint press conference.