President Joe Biden Arrives in UK Ahead of NATO Summit, Will Meet Sunak, King Charles

US President Joe Biden has arrived in the UK ahead of the NATO summit scheduled to take place in Lithuania later this week, according to BBC.

The summit follows recent concerns raised by several allies regarding Biden's decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine.

The UK and Canada, among others, expressed apprehension over providing these bombs due to their widely recognized danger to civilian populations.

Cluster bombs are banned in numerous countries due to their indiscriminate nature and the long-lasting threat of unexploded bomblets.

The US argues that the cluster bombs are necessary because Ukraine's arsenal of weapons is depleting.

Considering this controversy, President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, where they are expected to address various topics, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

While Sunak has not directly criticized Biden in response to Friday's announcement, he emphasized that the UK is committed to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international treaty prohibiting the production and use of such weapons, which includes 123 countries as signatories.

Other US allies have expressed stronger disapproval. New Zealand, a partner nation of NATO, expressed concern on Sunday, highlighting the potential for "huge damage to innocent people" that could result from the deployment of cluster munitions.

The US maintains that it has received written assurances from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, that Ukrainian forces will refrain from using these weapons in Russia or urban areas.

Biden to Meet With King Charles at Windsor Castle

During President Joe Biden's visit to the UK, a significant part of his agenda will be his meeting with King Charles at Windsor Castle, located west of London, Reuters noted.

Windsor Castle previously hosted Democratic President Barack Obama in 2016 and former President Donald Trump in 2018. In 2021, Biden also had tea with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor.

The meeting between Biden and King Charles will occur in the castle's quadrangle, where a guard of honor will present a Royal Salute, accompanied by the US national anthem, according to the king's office.

The discussions between the president and the king will primarily focus on climate issues, a subject that Charles, known for his environmental advocacy spanning over five decades, has long been passionate about.

Additionally, US special climate envoy John Kerry revealed that he had been invited to brief the king and Biden on a climate finance conference, which he is scheduled to co-host with British energy minister Grant Shapps on Monday.

President Joe Biden's Next Stops Will Be Vilnius and Helsinki

During his trip, President Joe Biden will spend two days in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, which is hosting the annual NATO summit.

He will meet with other world leaders and deliver a speech at Vilnius University, per NBC News.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has reinvigorated the NATO alliance, prompting member countries to provide military support to Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russia's invasion.

After spending two nights in Vilnius, Biden will visit Helsinki, Finland. This visit serves as a symbolic victory for Finland, which became the 31st and newest member of NATO in April, breaking away from its history of nonalignment.

Finland's accession to NATO underscores how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had unintended consequences in Europe.

Sweden, Finland's neighbor, is also expected to join NATO simultaneously. However, issues involving Turkey and Hungary have hindered its membership process.

NATO expansion requires unanimous consent from all member countries.

During Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's visit to the White House, he met with President Biden to maintain pressure for Swedish membership in NATO. However, it is unlikely that the matter will be resolved during the Vilnius summit.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Ukraine, NATO summit on agenda when Biden meets U.K. prime minister - From CBC News