Joe Biden heads to the UK for his first overseas trip as US president
Joe Biden is to begin his first overseas trip as US president on Wednesday when he touches down in the UK ahead of a G7 Summit.
The Democrat and his wife Jill are expected to land on Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Wednesday to kick off an eight-day trip to Europe.
Mr Biden will meet US personnel stationed at the base, and is expected to be greeted himself by a far calmer reception than his predecessor Donald Trump, who was met by a wave of protest.
The president will share face-to-face talks with Boris Johnson on Thursday in Cornwall, where the summit begins the following day.
Having succeeded Mr Trump after his single fractious term in the White House, Mr Biden said the trip is about “realising America’s renewed commitment to our allies and partners” in an article for the Washington Post.
Mr Biden also said he would meet with the Prime Minister to “affirm the special relationship between our nations”.
However, this week it emerged Mr Johnson is not a fan of the expression after an American magazine reported he told aides he does not like the seemingly “needy and weak” term.
Downing Street said he “prefers not to use the phrase” and is instead intent on fostering a “close relationship” with Washington.
Part of that, Mr Johnson hopes, is a trade deal with the States. However, the president has repeatedly raised concerns about Brexit’s impact on Northern Ireland.
Mr Biden will join others from the G7 group of leading economies in Carbis Bay on Friday, where there is the prospect of protest.
The Prime Minister plans to use the summit to urge the members – also including Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy – to “defeat” Covid-19 by helping to vaccinate the world by the end of next year.
After the summit ends, the president and the first lady will meet the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Mr Biden will then depart for Brussels and later Geneva in Switzerland.