Sunak Lands In Washington, Will Talk Ukraine, Economy And AI With Biden

But he's also pragmatic, and has restored stability to Britain's government after the turbulent terms of predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss

The war in Ukraine was top of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s agenda on Wednesday as he started a two-day trip to Washington carrying the message that post-Brexit Britain remains an essential American ally in a world of emboldened authoritarian states.

The US and UK are the two biggest military donors to Ukraine, and the war will be the focus of Sunak’s meeting on Thursday at the White House with President Joe Biden.

The breaching of a major dam in southern Ukraine, which sent floodwaters gushing through towns and over farmland, has given the subject added urgency. Neither Washington nor London has officially accused Russia of blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam, but Sunak told reporters during his flight to Washington that it would “demonstrate the new lows that we would have seen from Russian aggression.” Britain and the US are lead players in an international effort to give Ukraine F-16 fighter jets, and talks are also likely to include extra air defense measures against Russian bombardment as Ukraine launches a counteroffensive to retake occupied territory.

The trip is Sunak’s first to the US capital since he took office in October, but his fourth meeting with Biden in as many months. The two leaders have crossed paths at a Group of Seven summit in Japan, in Northern Ireland and at a three-way defence meeting with Australia in San Diego.