As Rishi Sunak hosts Joe Biden in the UK, what will be on the agenda?

The pair are believed to have developed a warm relationship since Rishi Sunak became prime minister, a turnaround from Joe Biden’s relationship with Boris Johnson, writes Archie Mitchell

Prime minister Rishi Sunak will meet US president Joe Biden in Downing Street on Monday (PA)

At around 10.30am on Monday, Rishi Sunak will welcome Joe Biden to Downing Street for the fifth meeting in as many months between the two world leaders.

The pair are believed to have developed a warm relationship since Mr Sunak became prime minister, a turnaround from Mr Biden’s relationship with Boris Johnson, who he called a “physical and emotional clone” of Donald Trump.

Ahead of the low-key meeting before this week’s Nato summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, which begins on Wednesday, we look at what they may discuss.

Climate crisis

Mr Biden’s climate change envoy John Kerry said the environment will be a “critical component” of the talks between Mr Sunak and the US president.

On the agenda is the progress made on a “critical minerals agreement” with the US, which No 10 has said will support the countries’ “shared leadership in green technology”.

Also likely to come up is Mr Biden’s huge green investment package, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The $369bn package of subsidies has been luring firms in the clean energy sector from the UK to the US, and government ministers have criticised the package as protectionist and distorting.

Ukraine

The meeting comes ahead of the 500th day of war in Ukraine, with Mr Sunak set to stress the UK’s ongoing commitment to supporting the country’s defence.

The prime minister will push allies including Mr Biden to ensure any discussion of Euro-Atlantic security includes a discussion about Ukraine.

The pair may clash over Mr Biden’s decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine, which the UK has warned against. Mr Sunak stopped short of criticising his US counterpart, saying that Britain “discourages their use”.

But Ukraine is a unifying topic for the two men, with them both promising in June to support the country for “as long as it takes”.

Joe Biden has promised to stand by Ukraine for ‘as long as it takes’ (AP)

Trade

Hopes for a post-Brexit free-trade deal with the US have been dashed but Mr Sunak has hailed the Atlantic Declaration, a new economic partnership with the Americans, which is designed to bolster economic security in response to the growing influence of China.

Ahead of the meeting, No 10 said it will be “will be an opportunity to monitor progress on measures and initiatives under the Atlantic Declaration”.

The special relationship

The White House said the trip was designed “to further strengthen the close relationship between our nations”. And Mr Sunak will be keen to draw a line under claims Mr Biden has been snubbing Britain.

The president did not fly to the UK to attend the coronation of King Charles III, and Mr Biden is reported to favour EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen over British defence secretary Ben Wallace to become Nato secretary general.

And while some will see the visit as a mere stopover for Mr Biden on his way to the Nato summit in Vilnius, No 10 sees the meeting as a sign of the strength of the UK-US relationship under Mr Sunak.

While it is not a full-blown state visit, Mr Biden will head from Downing Street to Windsor Castle for a taste of pomp and pageantry at a meeting with the King.