Albanese to skip NATO summit as push for Trump meeting and AUKUS talks intensify

Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese
will not attend next week's
NATO summit
in The Hague on 24-25 June, as he plans for a rescheduled meeting with US President
Donald Trump
. The two leaders were at the recently concluded G7 summit in Canada but the official meeting failed to materialize as Trump suddenly left for Washington.
Albanese had left the door open to joining the key gathering of Trans Atlantic leaders, which will cover critical topics including Australia's role in AUKUS, rising global security tensions, and US trade tariffs.
There is additional pressure on the Albanese government to reassert Australia's strategic position with the US as Trump's influence over global security and trade policy intensifies.
'Whatever happens, we'll be represented at a very high level at NATO,' Health Minister Mark Butler told Seven News on Friday, referring to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who will lead the
Australian delegation
.
Also read:
Albanese gifts Gallipoli poster to Canada's Carney as they meet on the sidelines of G7 summit; here is a list of gifts exchanged
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Australia can be sidelined?
Critics say skipping the
NATO
summit risks sidelining Australia during crucial conversations on Ukraine, Iran, and global defence coordination. 'The PM should still go,' Liberal frontbencher James Paterson told Sunrise. 'Meeting Trump would be a bonus, but there are strong shared interests with our allies, from Ukraine to Iran to defence spending.'
Albanese had been seeking another opportunity to speak with Trump before the US completes its 30-day review of the AUKUS pact that will help determine how and whether Australia receives American-built nuclear submarines as promised.
The crisis in the Middle East
Adding urgency to the situation is the Middle East crisis with a new conflict between Israel and Iran, which continues to escalate. Australia has evacuated diplomats from Tehran, deployed aircraft and personnel to assist citizens leaving Israel via Jordan. It has now stationed officials at Azerbaijan's border to support over 2,000 Australians seeking to leave Iran.

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