UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden have held a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit being held these days in Bali, Indonesia, where they have described Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian territory as «barbaric».
In the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders in private, Sunak and Biden reaffirmed the national and international importance of the «strong relationship» between their countries, «particularly given the difficult economic times the world is currently facing,» according to a Downing Street statement.
In this regard, the British Prime Minister and the U.S. President stressed that Russia’s actions are «directly responsible» for precipitating global economic problems, including rising inflation.
For this reason, they reiterated the need to maintain «international pressure» to ensure that Putin fails in Ukraine, as «it is in everyone’s interest».
The leaders stressed the importance of like-minded allies providing «a counterpoint» to authoritarian regimes, including ensuring that developing countries can grow in a sustainable manner.
Among other issues, Sunak and Biden expressed their willingness to cooperate within the framework of the AUKUS pact to which Australia also subscribes, and in other areas including trade, defense and protection of the Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement).
