United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak touted the strong bonds between the United States and the U.K. as he met with House and Senate leadership during a visit to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
Sunak’s two-day trip to Washington, his first such visit since taking over as prime minister, comes with a number of agenda items, ranging from Ukraine aid and combating China to artificial intelligence concerns. At home, the prime minister is attempting to guide the U.K. through post-Brexit financial hardships, most notably record inflation. In brief remarks to reporters ahead of separate meetings with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Senate leadership, Sunak spoke broadly of the special relationship between the two nations.
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“Being at Arlington this morning just reminds us there’s a long history between our countries,” Sunak told McCarthy, referencing his trip earlier Wednesday to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “When we stick together, I agree with you, the world has benefited, and what we need to do now is figure out how do we make sure that that relationship is strong to deal with the challenges of the future.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) thanked Sunak for making the trip before touting the “great alliance we have.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY); Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD); Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Jim Risch (R-ID), who lead the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and others were also in attendance.
Sunak attended a Washington Nationals game Wednesday night to cap off the evening. He’ll head to the White House for a meeting with President Joe Biden on Thursday, after which the two will hold a press conference.
Also on the agenda for the White House meeting is addressing concerns about Northern Ireland and maintaining the Good Friday Agreement, the landmark peace accord ending decades of bloodshed in the region. While Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic share a demilitarized border, Northern Ireland is a part of the U.K., and Ireland is part of the European Union. The situation has become precarious in recent years, however, as post-Brexit matters have caused parliamentary gridlock.
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said late last month that the two leaders planned to “review a range of global issues, including our shared support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal war of aggression, as well as further action to bolster energy security and address the climate crisis” during their Thursday meeting.
“The president and the prime minister will also discuss efforts to continue strengthening our economic relationship, as we confront our shared economic and national security challenges,” she continued. “They will also review developments in Northern Ireland as part of their shared commitment to preserving the gains of the Belfast Good Friday agreement.”
