UK makes plans to welcome Albanese to London

The British government is making plans to welcome Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to London on a visit that could come as soon as next week if he attends Tuesday’s NATO summit in the Netherlands.

The behind-the-scenes work to prepare for Albanese is the strongest sign yet that he will attend next week’s summit, which could provide a chance to make up for his failed attempt to meet US President Donald Trump in Canada.

Sources familiar with the preparations, who were not authorised to speak publicly, said Albanese had not yet decided whether to attend the NATO event in The Hague in part because he was wary of Trump cancelling again.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the G7.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The prime minister’s office and the British High Commission to Australia did not respond to a request for comment, but by Friday government sources believed Defence Minister Richard Marles was more likely to attend the NATO summit in Albanese’s stead.

Trump departed the G7 summit in Canada early to deal with the crisis in the Middle East, meaning Albanese’s first face-to-face meeting with the president was cancelled.

The blow has been repeatedly brushed off by Albanese and his ministers as leaders of Mexico, India, South Korea, Ukraine, and other countries also had meetings cancelled.

Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, is leading a diplomatic push to lock in a meeting for Albanese with Trump in Europe next week as the prime minister ponders attending the NATO event.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles was originally expected to attend, however, Albanese changed his mind and said he could go. “Yes, that’s being considered,” he told reporters.

The decision remains a dilemma for Albanese as the risk of Trump cancelling a second time could hurt him politically.

While in Canada, Albanese was also invited to 10 Downing Street by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and will make a stop in London if he does go to NATO. French President Emmanuel Macron also urged Albanese to make the trip to the Netherlands when the pair spoke.

Conflict between Iran and Israel remains the focus for Trump, who released a statement on Friday morning AEST, that he would decide in two weeks whether the US will join Israel and launch strikes on Iran.

“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Trump said.

Trump’s White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt – who read the statement to reporters in Washington – confirmed the president would attend the NATO summit later this week but that is subject to change.

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