British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Washington on Thursday June 8, jointly expressing commitment with the United States to strengthening cooperation between their two countries. Particularly the areas of cooperation include defense, artificial intelligence, and economic partnerships.
The United States and Britain on Thursday announced a new strategic pact as their leaders rededicated the “special relationship” to counter Russia, China and economic instability.
In a White House summit, US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the lightning-fast evolution of artificial intelligence.
But Sunak came away empty-handed on Britain’s ambitions for a post-Brexit free-trade agreement with Washington, settling instead to tack along with Biden’s plan to craft a new green economy through vast industrial subsidies.
An “Atlantic Declaration” adopted by the leaders aims to boost industry ties on defense and renewable energy, in the face of growing competition from China.
Sunak said Biden backed his plan to convene “like-minded” countries for the world’s first AI summit in Britain later this year, and the prime minister also wants the UK to host a future AI regulator.
Sunak said the Atlantic Declaration would help the allies face up to the chronic instability in energy markets caused by Russia’s actions, although they are reluctant yet to blame Moscow for this week’s calamitous destruction of a dam in Ukraine.
But while giving up hope for now on a trade deal with the United States, Sunak headed into the summit arguing that the Ukraine war proves the need for transatlantic economic alignment.
Sunak did win a promise from Biden to discuss US relief to UK carmakers, via greater access to critical minerals used in batteries, after the president’s Inflation Reduction Act offered new subsidies to companies with US operations.
Sunak has meanwhile been talking up British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace as a candidate to lead NATO before the Western military alliance holds a summit next month in Lithuania, with the prime ministers of Denmark and Estonia also seen as contenders.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
