Truss-Biden meeting postponed to Wednesday

EuroActiv Politico News

U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss will hold a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday at the U.N. General Assembly, her office said Saturday. The pair had previously been scheduled to meet in Downing Street on Sunday.

No reason was given for the postponement of what will be the leaders’ first meeting since Truss won the Conservative leadership contest and became prime minister. It will be a “full bilateral meeting,” according to the U.K. statement.

Biden is among the many leaders heading to London ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral on Monday. Truss is still slated to meet on Sunday with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Polish President Andrzej Duda.

Sunday evening, Truss is scheduled to attend a Buckingham Palace reception for visiting world leaders, and will observe a minute’s silence on the doorstep of No. 10 Downing Street.

She met on Saturday with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the government’s Chevening country residence.

Truss also held a phone call with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. A call between Truss and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled to take place Saturday evening.

Biden is set to address the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, after his speech was pushed back a day due to the queen’s funeral. The day of the funeral is now designated a bank holiday in the U.K.