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US President Joe Biden has apologised to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for cancelling his trip to Sydney next week, as they signed an agreement on clean energy and climate action.
Key points:
- Joe Biden was meant to go to Sydney next week for a Quad meeting
- A looming debt ceiling crisis in the US forced him to cancel
- Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Japan for talks
The pair met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, where the leaders of the world's most advanced economies are meeting to discuss a range of matters including China's ambition in the Indo-Pacific region.
Top of the G7's agenda is how they can support Ukraine's war against Russian invaders.
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has touched down in Hiroshima to push for more Western support ahead of a new offensive against Russian forces.
Mr Biden was due to travel from Japan to Australia to address federal parliament in Canberra and attend the Quad Leaders' summit at the Sydney Opera House.
But tricky ongoing negotiations with congress on the US debt ceiling have forced him to cut his overseas trip short, and return to Washington DC on Sunday.
"I'm sorry this meeting is not taking place in your country, Australia, and I deeply appreciate the flexibility in meeting me here at the G7 meeting," Mr Biden said at the Grand Prince Hotel in Hiroshima.
"I'm looking forward to our conversation today, and hosting you for an official state visit this year in Washington DC.
"And again, I truly apologise to you for having you to come here, rather than me be in Australia right now – but we have a little thing going on at home I got to pay attention to."
Despite his disappointment, Mr Albanese accepted the situation at hand.
"Certainly, I understand the circumstances that led us to hold the Sydney Quad meeting in Hiroshima later this evening," Mr Albanese quipped.
"I understand the circumstances that you're dealing with, and I would've done exactly the same thing – all politics is local."
Australia and US sign clean energy deal
The comments came shortly after the pair signed a "climate, critical minerals and clean energy transformation compact" – a deal promising to strengthen cooperation across the Pacific in tackling climate change.
"This compact and statement of intent are a testament to our close cooperation – and I mean that, close," Mr Biden said grabbing Mr Albanese's arm.
"We're going to establish climate and clean energy as the third pillar of the Australia-US alliance.
"This compact is going to enable the expansion and diversification of clean energy supply chains, especially as it relates to critical materials."
The prime minister argued he was taking the issue much more seriously than his predecessor.
"Action on climate change, I say, is the entry fee to credibility in the Indo-Pacific," Mr Albanese said.
"Many of our neighbours understand that climate change is an existential threat, and what we understand is that it's an important component of our national security.
"That's why it is an important component, an essential part of our alliance."
G7 focuses on countering Russia and China
When Mr Zelenskyy arrived in Japan, he tweeted that he was there for "Important meetings with partners and friends of Ukraine".
"Peace will become closer today," he said.
The G7 reiterated its condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in its communique.
"We commit to intensifying our diplomatic, financial, humanitarian and military support for Ukraine, to increasing the costs to Russia and those supporting its war efforts," the G7 said.
On Friday, the United States announced it would allow NATO allies to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, months after the country pleaded for their delivery.
"We and our allies and partners have really focused on providing Ukraine with the systems, weapons and training that it needs," White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said.
The US legally has to approve the re-export of such equipment.
The move will greatly bolster Ukraine's beleaguered air defences, but will likely take months to deliver, with its fighter pilots needing to be trained first.
The US said the fighter jets would be supplied with the usual proviso they are not used to strike Russian territory, to avoid escalating the conflict further.
"All of the capabilities that the United States is providing to Ukraine, come with the basic proposition that the United States is not enabling, or supporting attacks on Russian territory," Mr Sullivan said.
"That will go for the support for the provision of F16s by any party as well. The Ukrainians have consistently indicated that they are prepared to follow through on that."
Before he left for Japan, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised he would return with more powerful military hardware.
"We're returning home with new military help, newer and more powerful weapons for the front, more protection for our people," he said in a video uploaded to social media.
China's military build-up in the Pacific and threats to invade Taiwan was another common concern among G7 nations, especially Japan, the only Asian member.
Leaders at the G7 are trying to unstitch some of their economic relationship, but not break it completely, in a bid to protect sensitive technology.
"We do not seek to thwart China's economic progress and development," the G7 leaders communique states.
"At the same time, we recognise that economic resilience requires de-risking and diversifying. We will take steps, individually and collectively, to invest in our own economic vibrancy."