Julie Bishop meets Barack Obama at final nuclear summit

Julie Bishop and Barack Obama have discussed nuclear security and posed for what could be one of their last official photos.

Bishop meets Obama at summit

Over dinner at the White House, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and US President Barack Obama discussed nuclear security and posed for what could be one of their last official photos.

Mr Obama held the working dinner for world leaders on the eve of the final meeting of his nuclear security summit.

Following the dinner, hosted in the East Room, Ms Bishop told The Weekend Australian: “National leaders were invited to outline steps they were taking to secure any nuclear material in their possession. It was a timely and constructive discussion amongst the heads of delegation, given the threat posed by terrorism and the known ambitions of these groups for nuclear terrorist attacks.”

Ms Bishop posted a photo of her and Mr Obama on her Twitter account.

The two have been snapped together numerous times, including shots with Michelle Obama and Tony Abbott and at the G20 Summit in Brisbane.

As opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman in 2011, Ms Bishop presented Mr Obama with a personalised West Coast Eagles jumper — her AFL team — during his first presidential visit to Australia.

Ms Bishop attended the dinner as part of Mr Obama’s fourth and final nuclear security summit, with more than 50 countries represented.

Just hours earlier Ms Bishop signed a nuclear co-operation agreement with Ukraine’s Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn, which allows Australia to export uranium to the country — one of the top 10 generators of nuclear power. She also met Ukraine’s President, Petro Poroshenko.

Any use of the material for the development of weapons or explosive devices is strictly prohibited under the deal.

“This agreement provides Ukraine with the opportunity to diversify its energy supply and will enhance bilateral co-operation between Australia and Ukraine on nuclear-related activities, including nuclear safeguards, security, safety and science,” Ms Bishop said.

Australia has 24 nuclear co-operation agreements with 42 countries, including Canada, China and Russia.

In a tweet posted alongside a photo of a meeting with her Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Ms Bishop also reaffirmed Australia’s solidarity with Turkey in the fight against Islamic State.