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What’s expected at Japanese PM Kishida’s US visit? A major upgrade in defense ties

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week. He will hold a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden that’s meant to achieve a major upgrading of their defense alliance.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has begun his official visit to the United States this week. The prime minister and his spouse, Kishida Yuko, were greeted with an arrival ceremony at Joint Base Andrews. Maryland.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is beginning a much-anticipated visit to Washington on Tuesday. Kishida will take part in a meeting with Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Philippines-Chinese relations have been repeatedly tested by skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels in the disputed South China Sea.

FILE - This photo combination shows U.S. President Joe Biden, left, taken in Washington on April 3, 2024, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, taken in Tokyo on March 28, 2024. Prime Minister Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week. He will hold a summit with President Biden that’s meant to achieve a major upgrading of their defense alliance.(AP Photo/File)

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Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, and his wife Yuko Kishida participate in an arrival ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Monday, April 8, 2024. Kishida is set for his much-anticipated visit to Washington, which will include a glamorous state dinner on Wednesday. The visit comes amid growing concerns about provocative Chinese military action as well as a rare moment of public difference between Washington and Tokyo over a Japanese company’s plan to buy the iconic U.S. Steel. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center, and his wife Yuko Kishida, right, participate in an arrival ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Monday, April 8, 2024. President Joe Biden will host a State Dinner for Kishida during his official visit to the United States on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, and his wife Yuko Kishida walk down the stairs from a plane as they participate in an arrival ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Monday, April 8, 2024. President Joe Biden will host a State Dinner for Kishida during his official visit to the United States on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

FILE - U.S. President Joe Biden, left, shakes hands with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a joint news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, not visible, on Aug. 18, 2023, at Camp David, the presidential retreat, near Thurmont, Md. Prime Minister Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week. He will hold a summit with President Biden that’s meant to achieve a major upgrading of their defense alliance.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

FILE - An MV-22 Osprey takes off as Japan Ground Self-Defense Force guards the landing zone during a joint military drill with U.S. Marines in Gotemba, southwest of Tokyo, on March 15, 2022. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week. He will hold a summit with President Joe Biden that’s meant to achieve a major upgrading of their defense alliance.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

FILE - Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during an interview with foreign media members ahead of an official visit to the United States at the Prime Minister’s official residence Friday, April 5, 2024, in Tokyo. Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week. He will hold a summit with President Joe Biden that’s meant to achieve a major upgrading of their defense alliance.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

FILE - Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, greets Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prior to their bilateral meeting at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, on the sidelines of the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. The first-ever trilateral summit between President Joe Biden, Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. comes as the Philippines faces escalating maritime tension with China over their contested South China Sea claims.(Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Crew members of Philippine coast guard BRP Sindangan prepare rubber fenders as a Chinese coast guard ship tries to block it’s path while they tried to enter the Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin Shoal, in the disputed South China Sea Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The first-ever trilateral summit between President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. comes as the Philippines faces escalating maritime tension with China over their contested South China Sea claims. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week. He will hold a summit with President Joe Biden that’s meant to achieve a major upgrading of their defense alliance.

He will also join a first-ever summit of the U.S., Japanese and Philippine leaders in Washington to showcase their cooperation in the face of an increasingly assertive China .

The Associated Press explains the significance of Kishida’s visit and the two summits.

WHAT DOES KISHIDA WANT TO ACHIEVE?

The biggest event during the weeklong trip is his summit with Biden on Wednesday. Kishida hopes to further strengthen the alliance as China’s influence grows in the Indo-Pacific.

Kishida is also reaching out to the American public to showcase Japan’s contribution to the U.S. economy and ensure stable relations regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election later this year.

Kishida, who has pushed sweeping changes fortifying Japan’s defense capabilities since taking office in 2021, will emphasize that Japan and the U.S. are now global partners working to maintain a rules-based international order, and that Japan is willing to take on a greater international role in security, economy and space to help Washington.

Expanding arms equipment and technology cooperation between the two countries and other like-minded partners is also highly important, Kishida on Friday told selected media , including AP.

Kishida, stung by a corruption scandal, needs a successful U.S. visit to shore up low support ratings at home.

WHAT IS A STATE VISIT?

As a state guest, Kishida will be welcomed in a White House arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, a formal state dinner and other official events. He is the fifth state guest of Biden, who has also hosted leaders of India, Australia, South Korea and France, underscoring America’s focus on Indo-Pacific security partnerships.

Kishida is the first Japanese leader to make a state visit since Shinzo Abe in 2015. Abe made a major revision to the interpretation of Japan’s pacifist Constitution, allowing its self-defense-only principle to also cover its ally, the United States.

WHY THE DEFENSE FOCUS?

Defense tops the agenda because of growing worries about threats from China, North Korea and Russia. Chinese coast guard ships regularly approach disputed Japanese-controlled East China Sea islands near Taiwan . Beijing says Taiwan is part of its territory and will be brought under control by force if necessary.

There are also worries about North Korean nuclear and missile threats and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Kishida has warned that the war in Europe could lead to conflict in East Asia, suggesting that a lax attitude to Russia emboldens China.

“While we maintain the Japan-U.S. alliance as a cornerstone, we believe it is important to cooperate with like-minded countries, including the Philippines,” Kishida said.

WHAT ARE THE SUMMIT’S MAIN ISSUES?

Biden and Kishida are expected to agree on a plan to modernize their military command structures so they can better operate together. America stations 50,000 troops in Japan. The Japanese Self Defense Force is preparing to restructure so it has a unified command for ground, air and naval forces by March 2025.

Also expected are new initiatives for defense industry cooperation, including co-production of weapons, possibly a new missile, and the repair and maintenance of American warships and other equipment in Japan to help U.S. operations in the western Pacific.

Japan’s possible participation in a U.S.-U.K.-Australia security partnership to develop and share advanced military capabilities, including artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and hypersonics, may also come up.

Kishida and Biden are also expected to confirm Japan’s participation in NASA’s Artemis moon program and its contribution of a moon rover developed by Toyota Motor Corp. and the inclusion of a Japanese astronaut. The rover, which comes at a roughly $2 billion cost, is the most expensive contribution to the mission by a non-U.S. partner to date, a U.S. official said.

WHAT’S JAPAN’S DEFENSE AIM?

Since adopting a more expansive national security strategy in 2022 , Kishida’s government has taken bold steps to accelerate Japan’s military buildup. He hopes to show Tokyo is capable of elevating its security cooperation with the U.S. Kishida has pledged to double defense spending and boost deterrence against China, which Japan considers a top security threat.

Japan, working to acquire what it calls a “counterstrike” capability, has purchased 400 U.S. Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles. After prohibiting almost all weapons transfers, it has relaxed export guidelines twice in recent months, allowing the sale of lethal weapons to countries from which they were licensed and the overseas sales of a fighter jet it’s co-developing with the U.K. and Italy. The changes have allowed Japan to ship Japanese-made PAC-3 missiles to the U.S. to help replace those contributed by Washington to Ukraine.

WHAT ABOUT THE SUMMIT WITH THE PHILIPPINES?

The first-ever trilateral summit between Biden, Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. comes as the Philippines faces escalating maritime tension with China over their contested South China Sea claims.

Biden wants to show that the three maritime democracies are unified as they face aggressive Chinese action against the Philippine coast guard and its supply vessels off the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, according to a senior Biden administration official.

Japan has sold coastal radars to the Philippines and is now negotiating a defense agreement that would allow their troops to visit each other’s turf for joint military exercises.

The trilateral comes eight months after Biden hosted a meeting with leaders from Japan and South Korea at Camp David .

“Cooperation among our three countries are extremely important in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and in defending a free and open international order based on the rules of law,” Kishida said Monday before leaving for Washington.

WHAT HAPPENS IN NORTH CAROLINA?

Kishida also wants to highlight Japan’s economic contributions in the U.S. There is growing uncertainty in Tokyo about U.S. elections, reflected by questions about what happens if former President Donald Trump wins, though experts say there is a bipartisan consensus on a stronger U.S.-Japan alliance.

Kishida will meet with business leaders and visit Toyota’s electric vehicle battery factory under construction for a planned launch in 2025, and Honda’s business jet subsidiary in North Carolina. He will also meet students at North Carolina State University on Friday.

In his congressional speech on Thursday, Kishida said he plans to convey “what Japan and the United States want to hand down to future generations and what we need to do for them.”

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Japanese prime minister visits Biden at the White House

Michele Kelemen

President Biden welcomes Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House. The visit marks Japan's increasing military posturing amid concerns about China, North Korea and Russia.

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Indian Prime Minister Modi’s Visit to Washington Is His Most Important So Far. Here’s What to Know

O n Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden will meet India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on an official state visit in Washington D.C, which includes a South Lawn welcome, a state dinner, and an address to a joint session of Congress—an honor rarely granted to a visiting foreign leader. Modi will become just the third world leader, after France’s Emmanuel Macron and South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol, to receive this kind of diplomatic reception from President Biden.

While Modi has visited the U.S. many times—most recently for a three-day visit in September 2021, where he held a bilateral meeting with Biden—this will be the first time the Prime Minister’s trip will be categorized as the highest ranked visit according to diplomatic protocol. (The last state visit to the U.S. by an Indian leader was by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009.)

As India takes center stage as the world’s most populous country , one of the fastest growing economies, and a powerhouse for tech and innovation, the Biden Administration hopes it can court the country as a crucial ally to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Read More: How India’s Record-Breaking Population Will Shape the World

More from TIME

“The visit will strengthen our two countries’ shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific and our shared resolve to elevate our strategic technology partnership, including in defense, clean energy, and space,” the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement .

Below, what to know about the upcoming visit.

What are the top priorities for Modi’s state visit?

The state visit will include conversations aimed at further cementing an already-growing defense and manufacturing relationship between the U.S. and India. More recently, Washington and New Delhi have been engaged in discussions about jointly producing jet engines, long-range artillery, and military vehicles. In May, India joined Biden’s 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which primarily aims to reduce China’s economic dominance through manufacturing, but without drawing up a formal trade agreement. Now, American company General Electric is hoping to co-produce military jets in the country, while the U.S. has increased investment in a semiconductor and chip manufacturing ecosystem set in India as a way to decrease dependence on Chinese manufacturing.

“The United States has really oriented a lot of its domestic and foreign policy around this question of, ‘how do we counter the Chinese challenge?’” says Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at Carnegie. “So if you think about semiconductors and chip manufacturing, India is a big player right now.”

In the weeks leading up to Modi’s visit, both the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have also made trips to New Delhi in an attempt to cut through the red tape to secure deals.

Read More: What Modi’s Visit to Washington Tells Us About Indian American Voters

This week, Reuters reported that India was inching closer to buying more than two dozen U.S.-made armed drones worth $2 to $3 billion to help enhance border surveillance and improve counterterrorism intelligence operations. The development comes after Sullivan, along with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, unveiled an ambitious roadmap for Indo-U.S. collaboration in specific high-technology areas, including semiconductors, next-generation telecommunication, artificial intelligence and defense.

For India, striking deals with the U.S. will in turn strengthen the country’s hard power capabilities and make it a hotbed for innovation. “They are hoping to get more U.S. dollars, more U.S. companies, and more U.S. entrepreneurs to make India a central part of their growth and expansion plans,” says Vaishnav.

Why do the U.S. and India want to counter China?

Experts say both countries see their strategic interests converge in countering China’s threat as it becomes more expansionist and ambitious on the global stage. For the U.S., China has increasingly become its biggest competitor in the spheres of influence, while India has been embroiled in territorial disputes in the Himalayas ever since it fought a brief war with China in 1962.

In 2020, tensions between India and China flared when Beijing became more assertive over land claims along the shared Himalayan border and an altercation between Indian and Chinese military forces in the northern Indian region of Ladakh reportedly left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead. China’s close ties to Pakistan has also resulted in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as part of the Belt and Road Initiative and controversially passes through a section of Kashmir controlled by Islamabad, adding to India’s concerns.

By helping India build up its economic and defense capabilities, Washington hopes to coordinate with New Delhi to tackle global challenges as part of its long-term interests, says Vaishnav. “Washington is really looking to create a framework of deterrence to essentially deter Chinese expansionism, and they view India as a linchpin in this strategy,” he says.

How has the relationship between India and the U.S. changed?

Relations between India and the U.S. have changed in notable ways over the years. After independence from British rule in 1947, India was more closely aligned with Russia during the Cold War era due to U.S. distrust and estrangement over India’s nuclear program, while the U.S. had a stronger partnership with India’s rival, Pakistan.

The two countries remained “estranged democracies,” according to the former U.S. Ambassador, Dennis Kux, until the early 1990s. However, since the early 2000s, U.S. administrations from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump have worked to build a strong relationship with India, recognizing its potential to be a strategic partner in ensuring the security of the Indo-Pacific region.

In 2005, India and the U.S. signed a major nuclear deal under which India was recognized de facto as a nuclear weapons power. More recently, India’s participation in the Quad, a security alliance between the U.S. and its allies, Australia, Japan and India, has led to the country becoming a critical element of American defense strategy.

Last year, the two countries conducted joint military exercises not far from the disputed Indo-China border, and in May, joined Biden’s 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which officials and business executives hope will reduce American reliance on Chinese manufacturing for mutual benefit, including increased iPhone shipments from Indian-based factories.

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Write to Astha Rajvanshi at [email protected]

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Biden Seeks to Bolster Ties With Modi While Soft-Pedaling Differences

At the White House, the president emphasized common ground with India’s prime minister and announced joint initiatives without making progress in enlisting help against Russian aggression.

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Biden Welcomes Indian Prime Minister to the White House

President biden and prime minister narendra modi of india emphasized cooperation between the two countries during a state visit..

[music] Crowd: “Modi, Modi, Modi.” I’ve long believed that the relationship between the United States and India is one that — will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century. Two proud nations, two proud nations whose love of freedom secured our independence, bound by the same words in our Constitution. First three words. We the people.

By Peter Baker

Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent, has traveled with two American presidents to India. He reported from Washington.

• June 22, 2023

President Biden emphasized common ground with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India during a lavish state visit on Thursday, publicly skirting points of friction over the government’s crackdown on human rights in India and Russia’s war in Ukraine in hopes of bolstering economic and geopolitical ties with the world’s most populous nation.

The president treated Mr. Modi to a day of red-carpet pageantry and showered him with expansive flattery as he sought to draw India closer at a time when the United States finds itself locked in open conflict with Moscow and in an uneasy standoff with China. But even as the leaders announced a range of initiatives, they made no evident progress resolving the disagreements that have strained the relationship in recent months.

The visit’s most surprising breakthrough was a modest if notable one as Mr. Biden coaxed Mr. Modi into taking questions from reporters at a joint news conference, one of the rare times the nationalist prime minister has done so in his nearly decade-long tenure. Challenged on his record on human rights and religious freedom, Mr. Modi insisted that democracy is “in India’s DNA” and denied that his government has fostered prejudice in serving its people.

“Democracy is our spirit. Democracy runs in our veins. We live democracy,” Mr. Modi said as Mr. Biden watched in the East Room of the White House. “In India’s democratic values, there’s absolutely no discrimination neither on basis of caste, creed, or age, or any kind of geographic location,” Mr. Modi added, even as demonstrators outside the White House gates protested the crackdown on dissent back in India.

Translator: India and America, both countries, democracy is in our DNA. In India’s democratic values, there is absolutely no discrimination, neither on basis of caste, creed or age, or any kind of geographic location.

While Mr. Biden shied away from criticism of India’s democratic backsliding, he stood by his characterization of President Xi Jinping of China as a “dictator” during a campaign fund-raiser earlier this week. Avoiding “the facts with regard to” China, he told reporters, “is just not something I’m going to change very much.” But he shrugged off the protests from Beijing, saying that he still expected to meet with Mr. Xi later this year despite his remark. “I don’t think it’s had any real consequence.”

The state visit for Mr. Modi was the latest move on the geopolitical chess board as Mr. Biden seeks more allies against increasingly aggressive governments in Moscow and Beijing. India, which remained staunchly nonaligned during the Cold War, has refused to join the American-led coalition aiding Ukraine in its war against invading Russian forces. And while India shares a certain enmity for China, it has not fully subscribed to Washington’s strategy for restraining the Asian giant in the Indo-Pacific region or defending Taiwan against aggression.

In cultivating Mr. Modi, who before becoming prime minister was denied a U.S. visa because of his role in a deadly religious riot in his home state, Mr. Biden put aside his language about “democracy versus autocracy” being the defining struggle of his time. In his welcome remarks and the later appearance before reporters, Mr. Biden described the two countries as fellow democracies committed to universal values without directly mentioning the increasing suppression of minority groups and opposition voices in India.

Officials previewing the visit said the president would raise human rights issues during his private meetings with Mr. Modi, but in briefing reporters they used the word “respectful” more than once to characterize Mr. Biden’s approach. In their moments before cameras together on Thursday, Mr. Biden pronounced America’s partnership with India “the most consequential in the world.”

Mr. Modi offered no indication that he had changed his mind about Russia or China, much less about human rights at home. Indeed, during an address to a joint session of Congress after meeting with the president, Mr. Modi avoided even using the words “Russia” or “China,” sticking to passive formulations.

“With the Ukraine conflict, war has returned to Europe,” he said, without saying who started the war. And he warned of “dark clouds of coercion and confrontation” that are “casting their shadow in the Indo-Pacific” without saying who was doing the coercing or the confronting.

Pre-empting criticism, Mr. Modi portrayed India as the “mother of democracy,” as he put it, using the word “democracy” at 17 times in an hourlong speech. “We are home to all faiths in the world and we celebrate all of them,” he said, without mentioning repression of Muslims and other minorities.

Cheered on by supporters who packed the House galleries, interrupted his speech with applause dozens of times and chanted “Modi! Modi!” as if it were a campaign rally, the prime minister rattled off a series of statistics about India’s progress in recent years.

Among other things, the prime minister pointedly noted that his country has grown from the world’s 10th largest economy when he last addressed Congress in 2016 to the fifth largest today, almost as if determined to force the United States to see India as a near equal, not just an emerging power, but a great and rising one.

Modi Praises ‘Limitless’ Potential of U.S.-India Partnership

In a speech to congress, prime minister narendra modi of india promoted his nation’s development and said the relationship between his country and the united states was important for democracy’s future..

The U.S. is the oldest — and India, the largest — democracy. Our partnership augurs well for the future of democracy. [cheers] Together, we shall give a better future to the world and a better world to the future. Everyone wants to understand India’s development, democracy and diversity. Everyone wants to know what India is doing right and how. We are not only growing bigger, but we are also growing faster. When India grows, the whole world grows. I can go on and go on. But to summarize I would say: The scope of our cooperation is endless, the potential of our synergy is limitless and the chemistry of our relations is effortless.

Despite his warm greeting in the chamber, several liberal Democrats in Congress boycotted Mr. Modi’s speech. “A joint address is among the most prestigious invitations and honors the United States Congress can extend,” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York wrote on Twitter . “We should not do so for individuals with deeply troubling human rights records.”

Analysts expressed skepticism about Mr. Biden’s strategy. “The ease with which the Biden administration cast aside its commitment to supporting democracy over autocracy was breathtaking in its eagerness to please Prime Minister Modi,” said Meenakshi Ahamed, author of “A Matter of Trust,” a history of ties between Indian leaders and American presidents.

But she said she doubted that it would do much good. “If the U.S. expects that it can flatter Modi into security commitments in the Indo-Pacific that will translate into military support against China if Taiwan becomes a conflict zone, the U.S. is deluding itself and has failed to understand what drives Indo-U. S. relations.”

Mr. Biden celebrated India’s rise with a display of pomp and circumstance on the South Lawn complete with marching bands, honor guards and a 21-gun salute. He wrapped up the day of meetings with a gala state dinner, only the third of his presidency, in a pavilion behind the White House draped in green with saffron-colored flowers at every table, the colors of the Indian flag. Lotus blossoms, an important symbol in India, were incorporated throughout the décor and images of the bald eagle and the peacock, the national birds of the two countries, were displayed as the backdrop for the leaders’ toasts.

“Two great nations, two great friends and two great powers,” Mr. Biden said in his toast.

The White House offered a meal of stuffed portobello mushrooms and creamy saffron-infused risotto in accordance with Mr. Modi’s vegetarian diet, with an optional fish entree for those who requested it. Joshua Bell, the Grammy-winning violinist, was tapped to perform, along with Penn Masala, a South Asian a cappella group founded by students at the University of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Marine Band chamber orchestra.

Among the guests was Hunter Biden , the president’s son who struck an agreement with prosecutors this week to plead guilty to a pair of misdemeanor tax crimes, resolving a yearlong investigation that did not validate the more sensational charges of influence peddling lodged by Republicans. Also included was Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who denounced the plea agreement as a sweetheart deal . The president ignored a question shouted at him about the case.

India, whose population recently surpassed China’s to lead the world , represents perhaps the most important of the so-called Global South nations that Mr. Biden is pursuing, both for its economic potential as well as for its geopolitical position. And Mr. Modi, without directly referring to that in his remarks at the arrival ceremony, nonetheless alluded to India’s growing power, mentioning its population of 1.4 billion three times in just a few minutes.

“I’ve long believed that the relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century,” Mr. Biden told a crowd gathered on the South Lawn on a gloomy overcast morning as the events got underway, “two proud nations whose love of freedom secured our independence, bound by the same words in our Constitution, the first three words, ‘we the people.’”

Mr. Modi, dressed in a traditional long vest known as an achkan, thanked Mr. Biden for the honor of a state visit and likewise suggested the two nations could tackle international challenges in tandem. “In the post-Covid era, the world order is taking a new shape,” he said in Hindi. “In this time period, the friendship between India and the U.S. will be instrumental in enhancing the strength of the whole world.”

To mark their ties, the two leaders rolled out a long list of joint initiatives on telecommunications, semiconductors, artificial intelligence and other areas. Mr. Modi agreed to sign the Artemis Accords, a set of principles governing peaceful exploration of the moon, Mars and other celestial bodies, and the two announced a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024. The United States and India will open additional consulates in each other’s country.

Among the most concrete agreements highlighted on Thursday was a deal between General Electric and the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to manufacture in India F414 engines used to power the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The two sides also announced that India would proceed with a long-stalled $3 billion purchase of MQ-9B Predator drones from General Atomics.

The military hardware sales may help wean India off Russian arms suppliers. Biden administration officials suggested the meeting was just one step in an evolution of India’s stance on the Ukraine war, part of what they characterized as “bending the arc of India’s engagement.”

But Mr. Modi again stressed the need for “dialogue and diplomacy,” adding that “we are completely ready to contribute in any way we can to restore peace,” without condemning Russia’s unprovoked invasion of a neighboring country.

Mr. Biden made no effort in public to pressure Mr. Modi on the matter. Instead, he concentrated on cementing bonds, pointing to the prevalence of Indian Americans in prominent positions in Washington. “We see it here at the White House where proud Americans of Indian heritage serve our country every day — including our vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris,” he said, turning to Ms. Harris standing off to the side.

Ms. Harris, who will host Mr. Modi for lunch on Friday, traces her Indian background to her mother, who emigrated to the United States as a teenager. Mr. Biden cited the story of “a family like so many of ours in our nation that speaks to the thousands of stories of determination, courage and hope.”

Damien Cave contributed reporting.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly characterized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s joint news conference with President Biden. It was a rare time that Mr. Modi has taken questions from reporters at a news conference during his nine years leading India, but not the first time.

How we handle corrections

Peter Baker is the chief White House correspondent and has covered the last five presidents for The Times and The Washington Post. He is the author of seven books, most recently “The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021,” with Susan Glasser. More about Peter Baker

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In photos: President Biden hosts Indian Prime Minister Modi during state visit

By Washington Post Staff | Jun 22, 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India is visiting President Biden at the White House for a state visit featuring both fanfare and substance, highlighting the growing importance of the U.S.-India relationship at a time of geopolitical turmoil.

Tom Brenner for The Washington Post

Biden and Modi walk toward the Oval Office.

Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post

Biden and Modi during their meeting in the Oval Office.

White House aides say the packed schedule — including a long list of expected agreements on issues including technology, trade and defense — reflects India’s increasingly prominent role in global affairs and Washington’s desire to boost ties with the world’s most populous nation, in part as a bulwark against China.

Biden, Modi and Jill Biden wave from the White House balcony.

Modi, who is just the third world leader Biden has hosted for a state visit, is seeking to bolster his country’s global standing, which White House officials say could in turn benefit U.S. interests.

Modi and Biden approach Vice President Harris during the official state visit on the South Lawn of the White House.

A girl plays with U.S. and Indian flags on the South Lawn during the state visit ceremony.

The trip marks the third official state visit for any foreign leader during Biden’s presidency, following similar events for French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Modi, who addressed U.S. lawmakers in 2016, is one of only a handful of world leaders who have been invited twice to address a joint meeting of Congress.

Biden and Modi embrace during the ceremony.

During a raucous arrival ceremony Thursday morning with thousands of chanting supporters, Biden hailed Modi and touted the “limitless possibilities” of the U.S.-India relationship. “Two great nations, two great friends, two great powers that can define the course of the 21st century,” Biden said.

Modi and Biden enter the East Room of the White House for a joint news conference.

The White House press corps listen to a translation during the news conference.

Biden speaks during the news conference as Modi looks on. Despite the pomp and pageantry, the visit is not without controversy. Human rights groups, lawmakers and scholars have written open letters to the White House and published opinion pieces in top U.S. media outlets calling out the erosion of democratic principles in India on Modi’s watch.

Modi speaks during the East Room news conference. The prime minister’s visit comes at a notable time for Indian Americans. Besides Harris, the vice president, two Republican presidential candidates are also of Indian descent: former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Harris arrives for Modi's address before a joint meeting of Congress.

Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post

Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) arrives for the address. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), left, talks to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) gives a thumbs-up before the address. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) chat. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Bera has a conversation with Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) before the address. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Modi greets lawmakers before delivering his remarks.

Modi shakes hands with a lawmaker.

Modi receives a standing ovation during a joint meeting of Congress.

Minh Connors/The Washington Post

Modi speaks to Congress.

A view of the House chamber.

Audience members cheer during Modi's speech.

Modi addresses Congress.

Modi waves to supporters after his speech.

Modi takes photos with members of Congress.

Biden and the first lady greet Modi as he arrives at the White House for the state dinner.

Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google parent Alphabet, and his wife, Anjali Pichai, arrive for the state dinner.

Ting Shen/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Billie Jean King, left, and her wife, Ilana Kloss, arrive at the White House.

Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King.

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Huma Abedin, right, former longtime assistant and aide to former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, arrives with her sister, Heba Abedin.

Julia Nikhinson/Reuters

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Emily Norris McCarthy. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Fashion designer Ralph Lauren and his wife, Ricky Lauren.

Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi.

The Bidens and Modi walk down the Grand Staircase at the White House.

Biden listens to an interpreter as he offers a toast during the state dinner for Modi.

Susan Walsh/AP

Biden and Modi toast during the state dinner.

Biden welcomes Modi to the White House ahead of the state dinner.

Yuri Gripas/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The president and the first lady chat with Modi outside the White House.

Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post

The first lady shakes hands with Modi.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Denied a U.S. visa in 2005 over deadly religious riots in his home state, Modi came to Washington for a state visit that will highlight his change in fortune and growing global clout, even as concerns about human rights and democratic erosion in India are intensifying across the nation he now leads.

Evan Vucci/AP

For Biden, the visit underscores both the promise of strengthening ties with the world’s most populous nation and the peril of positioning his presidency as a pivotal force in the global battle between autocracy and democracy.

With Modi leading the world’s largest democracy while overseeing trends that human rights groups say undermine democratic principles, Biden’s decision to host a state visit risks undermining one of his key campaign messages against Donald Trump in 2020.

India is emerging as an increasingly vital player in a region the United States has prioritized in its foreign policy — a potential bulwark against China and an increasingly powerful actor in sectors including technology, defense and the arts.

The pomp and pageantry of a state visit will allow Biden and Modi to mark a moment of recognition for the Indian diaspora on the global stage, with hundreds of business leaders, policymakers, celebrities and scholars set to gather at the White House.

Praise for the relationship — and for Modi himself — has only seemed to intensify since Biden took office.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese kicks off White House visit with Biden

By Kathryn Watson

Updated on: October 25, 2023 / 3:46 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — President Biden held a joint press conference alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House during a state visit on Wednesday, as the crisis in Israel and Gaza continues to dominate foreign policy.

Mr. Biden and Albanese stressed the critical importance of the U.S.-Australia relationship, with Mr. Biden emphasizing the importance of managing a competitive relationship with China and addressing Hamas' violence against Israel. Albanese took a slightly more careful approach to the topic of China, and stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine as it battles Russian aggression. 

Mr. Biden began his remarks by addressing the Israel-Hamas conflict, saying Israel has an "added burden" to try to protect innocents as Hamas is "hiding behind Palestinian civilians." 

"Israel has the right, and I would add, responsibility, to respond to the slaughter of their people, and we will ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against these terrorists, that's a guarantee," Mr. Biden said. "We also have to remember that Hamas does not represent, let me say it again, Hamas does not represent the vast majority of the Palestinian people in the Gaza strip or anywhere else. Hamas is hiding behind Palestinian civilians and it's despicable, and not surprisingly, cowardly as well. This also puts an added burden on Israel while they go after Hamas. But that does not lessen the need to operate and align with the laws of war."

As two U.S. officials tell CBS News Israel has delayed its ground invasion, the president told reporters he did not "demand" that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delay such an invasion until hostages could be secured. 

"What I have indicated to him is if that's possible to get these folks out safely, that's what he should do," Mr. Biden said. "It's their decision. But I did not demand it." 

Mr. Biden and Albanese held a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, and a state dinner is slated for Wednesday evening. Nearly 4,000 spectators on the South Lawn of the White House were on hand for the official arrival ceremony for Albanese and his partner, Jodie Haydon, earlier in the day. 

Both Mr. Biden and Albanese stressed the vital importance of the U.S.-Australian relationship, as the two democratic nations face pressing global challenges. 

"The alliance between Australia and the United States has never been more important than it is today, and we have never been more committed than we are today," Mr. Biden said at the arrival ceremony as Albanese looked on. "Australia and America stand ready to do the hard work, the historic work, to tackle the challenges we face."

Mr. Biden added in their Oval Office meeting, "Today, we are taking our alliance even further."

The Indo-Pacific is a topic of discussion for the two leaders, as they focus on the need for less international and regional reliance on China. They are also focused on a plan to ship nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. 

During the press conference, Mr. Biden said China is acting dangerously in the South China sea against vessels from the Philippines. Philippine leaders say Chinese ships caused collisions in two incidents over the weekend.  

Albanese was cautious in his approach to nearby China, saying their relationship is one "where the principle that I bring to it is to cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, but engage in our national interest." 

The war between Israel and Hamas, and the potential for an escalation of conflict in the region, was clearly top-of-mind for Mr. Biden on Wednesday. Ahead of their Oval Office meeting, Mr. Biden said he and Albanese would discuss how they "stand with Israel in the wake of Hamas's appalling terrorist attack."

For his part, Albanese said the two nations stand fast against all acts of aggression, including from Russia and Hamas. 

Mr. Biden is urging Congress to pass a supplemental package that includes billions in aid for Israel, but until now, the House has been paralyzed without a permanent speaker. House Republicans unanimously voted to make  Rep. Mike Johnson  speaker on Wednesday, moments before the president stepped up to the podium for the press conference. 

At a dinner at the White House on Tuesday, Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden presented the prime minister with an antique writing desk, designed by an American company in Michigan, the White House said. The first lady gave Haydon a hand-crafted green enamel and diamond necklace.

Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.

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Iraq PM invited to meet with US President Biden at White House

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Prime Minister Sudani's Pivotal US Visit and Its Implications for Iraq's Future

Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani's White House visit will discuss US forces in Iraq, sanctions, and bilateral relations. Amid pro-Iranian pressures, the visit seeks to balance diplomatic and economic interests with the US, highlighting the complex US-Iraq dynamics and regional geopolitical implications.

(Murtadha Al-Sudani/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Sudani will lead a prominent delegation to Washington, DC in mid-April, marking his first visit to the White House since assuming office in October 2022. The delegation includes key ministers of oil, finance, trade, and electricity, as well as the president of the central bank, accompanied by five Iraqi businessmen. Sudani’s seven-day trip to the United States will include a meeting with President Joe Biden on April 15 at the Oval Office. He plans to talk with American businesses, the Iraqi community, and think tanks in Washington before heading to Houston to engage with US energy companies.

Agenda of Sudani’s Visit

The delegation will focus on the US military presence in Iraq and the US Treasury sanctions and discuss bilateral security, trade, economic, energy, and cultural ties. These talks are anticipated to be primarily centered on military and sanctions issues.

The Shia Coordination Framework , which includes Shia political and militia groups with strong animosity toward the US and its allies, has pressured Prime Minister Sudani to prioritize these issues. They perceive the US military as a threat, and the Treasury’s sanctions have severely impacted the financial networks  of these anti-American factions. 

The US sanctions were triggered by the misappropriation of US dollars by Iraqi banks and individuals linked to the Coordination Framework. 

The US sanctions were triggered by the misappropriation of US dollars by Iraqi banks and individuals linked to the Coordination Framework. These entities have significantly aided Washington’s opponents, such as Iran, Syria, and Russia, by channeling vast sums of money from Iraq to the aforementioned countries, thereby circumventing sanctions.

If negotiations are successful, Baghdad and Washington are expected to establish a timetable for the withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq or agree on a new framework for the US military’s mission in the country, addressing the demands of the pro-Iranian groups. However, such agreements may come at a cost, potentially involving easing sanctions on blacklisted banks in exchange for flexibility regarding a controlled US military presence. However, this will mean granting more financial power to these groups, which will translate into growing political and military influence, posing long-term threats to US strategic interests and its allies.

However, the failure of the Biden administration to address the persistent onslaught by the Coordination Framework on the post-2003 Iraqi political framework to re-centralize political and economic power in Baghdad could re-drag the US into the country. 

Iraqi Divisions

The Kurdistan Region, once a prominent political, diplomatic, economic, and energy force, is now in a state of paralysis. It has faced multiple crises, stemming partly from Baghdad’s detrimental policies and the Iraqi Supreme Court’s rulings, sometimes compounded by the international community’s indifference, greatly affecting the welfare of ordinary Kurds.

The Coordination Framework has consistently pursued power re-centralization at the expense of Washington’s partners under the watchful eye of Prime Minister Sudani’s government. Baghdad’s highest court rulings against the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) oil exports have already resulted in over $11 billion in financial losses for Erbil and international oil companies, plunging Kurdistan into unprecedented economic turmoil. Additionally, the Iraqi court dissolved the Kurdish parliament and the provincial councils, revoked parliamentary seats held by minorities in Kurdistan since 1992, invalidated the Kurdistan Region’s high election commission’s authority to oversee parliamentary elections, and most recently, interfered in the administrative and budgetary affairs of the Kurdish region by instructing the Iraqi finance ministry to cover KRG employee salaries, again another measure to undermine the KRG’s legitimacy in the eye of the Kurds. 

The Sunni community has also become another victim of the Iraqi judiciary. Last November, the Federal Supreme Court ousted Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, a Sunni, from Parliament on fraud allegations. Despite Halbousi deeming the ruling unconstitutional, he resigned. Many attribute the action to pro-Iranian factions in the Iraqi government who perceived Halbousi as a threat. Sunni attempts to replace Halbousi have been hindered by internal divisions worsened by Shia interference . The Coordination Framework's systematic approach shows no intent to cede legislative control to Sunnis. With Shias now dominating all branches of government, Sunnis and Kurds are increasingly marginalized.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, the judiciary seems to show significant leniency towards Shia individuals linked with the Coordination Framework.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, the judiciary seems to show significant leniency towards Shia individuals linked with the Coordination Framework. Specifically, the Court of Cassation in Baghdad, seemingly under political influence, acquitted and reinstated Ahmed Hamdawi al-Kinani, a former police officer within the Iraqi Interior Ministry. Al-Kinani had previously been convicted and sentenced to death in 2023 for the murder of the prominent academic and security expert Hisham al-Hishami in 2020, known for his outspoken criticism of Shia militia groups. 

While Sudani has aimed to portray himself as a leader capable of making decisions independently for the good of Iraq, he finds his political and popular support not as strong as needed to confidently navigate the challenges posed by influential leaders within the Coordination Framework. Thus, he is more vulnerable to political pressures.

The dynamics of intra-Shia competition, alongside the need for a somewhat independent and internationally appealing technocratic figure who can uphold Iraq's relations with the West and promote its interests, often pave the way for lesser-known Shia politicians to step into this role. Sudani, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, was chosen as a consensus candidate and supported by the Coordination Framework to reflect their interests. This support is rooted in the less favorable perception of the coalition's true power players, who are seen as less appealing, particularly by Western standards.

Some positive qualities make Prime Minister Sudani a standout leader in post-2003 Iraq. Unlike his predecessors, he has spent his entire life in Iraq. His journey to power began as the mayor of Amara, providing him with an organic and close understanding of Iraq’s political and social landscape. His government’s agenda has prioritized service delivery to ordinary citizens and has shown commitment to addressing critical issues, including finance and oil, with the KRG.

On the foreign policy front, Sudani has maintained balanced relations with neighboring countries, including the Arab Gulf states, with increased diplomatic and trade relations. Probably most notable has been his firm stance on Iran, condemning Tehran’s missile attack on Erbil. Thus, it’s no surprise that a recent Gallup poll rates him as the most favorable prime minister in a decade.

Long-term Prospects and Challenges

Sudani’s positive traits have ignited a wave of euphoria in Washington and among his advisors, reinforcing the optimism surrounding his political trajectory . Privately, confidence in his prospects is steadily rising. They seek to transform the upcoming White House trip into a state-of-the-art publicity campaign, portraying Sudani as a respected Iraqi statesman on the global stage. The goal is to make this trip a pivotal moment, laying the groundwork for his campaign in the 2025 legislative elections.

While Washington might view this as a strategic move to reduce the influence of pro-Tehran actors in Iraq, freeing Sudani from pressure, the blueprint is not merely ill-advised; it poses a direct threat to US strategic interests. While this approach may offer an illusion of relief and success in the short term, it ultimately sets the stage for instability.

By investing heavily in a single figure, Sudani, the US inadvertently alienates its allies and emboldens its adversaries.

By investing heavily in a single figure, Sudani, the US inadvertently alienates its allies and emboldens its adversaries. The once-celebrated strategy, championed for former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in 2018, portrayed him as a hero—a beacon of hope for Iraq and a staunch ally of the West. However, despite these grandiose projections , the harsh reality emerged when Abadi’s electoral defeat shattered these illusions, leaving Washington disappointed. Even worse, it had unintended consequences by empowering anti-American forces, fueling their determination to gain control of Iraqi institutions. Subsequent elections have only reinforced anti-American sentiment, consolidating power among traditional, Western-hostile factions in Baghdad. 

For Iraq to achieve stability, it necessitates the support of a foreign patron. Washington is in a favorable position to fulfill this role with a pragmatic strategy requiring a minimal footprint. This entails prioritizing investment in actors aligned with US values and objectives. Such an approach involves strengthening alliances with Kurds, Sunnis, and certain Shia moderates who prioritize Iraq’s interests. Doing so can help restore a much-needed balance of power in Baghdad, safeguarding against the emergence of a tyrannical centralized authority. 

While no political system is flawless, the post-2003 consensus governance model and a balanced political climate in Baghdad deserve credit for preventing Iraq from becoming a disruptive force in the region and a source of menace for its people. However, the recent trend toward centralization in Iraq carries significant risks and has far-reaching implications. It could exacerbate Iraq’s authoritarian tendencies, posing substantial threats to its citizens and regional stability. Moreover, this development may divert crucial Western strategic resources from areas like Ukraine and East Asia, potentially benefiting US rivals. Washington should take these developments seriously.

The views expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not reflect an official position of the Wilson Center.

About the Author

Yerevan saeed, middle east program.

The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program serves as a crucial resource for the policymaking community and beyond, providing analyses and research that helps inform US foreign policymaking, stimulates public debate, and expands knowledge about issues in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.   Read more

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Speaker kicks Poilievre out of the Commons after he calls PM a 'wacko' in tense question period exchange

Trudeau accuses poilievre of associating with white nationalists, tory leader hits back.

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Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of question period Tuesday after a particularly nasty exchange with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Poilievre's day-long removal from the House of Commons came after he called Trudeau a "wacko" for supporting B.C.'s past policy of decriminalizing some hard drugs in an attempt to reduce the number of overdose-related deaths.

Poilievre said it was a "wacko policy" backed by "this wacko prime minister." Fergus asked him to withdraw the "unparliamentary language."

Poilievre refused, saying only that he agreed to replace "wacko" with "extremist" or "radical." Poilievre's refusal prompted Fergus to remove him.

"There are a couple of things that are going on here today that are not acceptable," Fergus said.

He later called it a "remarkable question period" after MPs from all sides yelled at one another and called each other names.

Following Poilievre's removal, the Conservative caucus left the Commons chamber en masse, following their leader.

Trudeau fielded a few more questions Tuesday from Bloc and NDP MPs and then left the chamber after the fracas.

Speaker tosses Poilievre from House of Commons

Poilievre turned to social media after getting the boot. "The Liberal speaker censored me for describing Trudeau's hard drug policy as wacko," he posted.

"Six people dying from overdoses every day in B.C. is wacko. Nurses worried about breastfeeding after breathing in toxic drug fumes is wacko. This is a wacko policy from a wacko PM that's destroying lives."

Trudeau calls Poilievre 'spineless'

Trudeau also engaged in name-calling, saying at one point that Poilievre was a "spineless" leader.

He said Poilievre is trying to "earn votes through personal attacks" after the Conservative leader raised Trudeau's past episodes of wearing blackface.

Trudeau accused Poilievre of courting "white nationalist groups" with his visit to an anti-carbon tax protest camp in the Maritimes earlier this month.

While at the camp, Poilievre stepped into a trailer that had a symbol associated with Diagolon drawn on the door.

That's a group the RCMP has said supports an "accelerationist" ideology — the idea that civil war or the collapse of western governments is inevitable and ought to be sped up.

"He will not denounce them and everything they stand for," Trudeau said of Poilievre, while also citing American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' endorsement of Poilievre .

"This is a 19-year career politician who knows exactly what he's doing and thinks he can get away with it," Trudeau said.

"It is a choice to pander to white nationalists. It's a choice to not condemn them and everything they stand for in his quest for votes."

Poilievre at one point said he wouldn't take lessons on racism from a prime minister whose government gave anti-racism training money to Laith Marouf, a Montreal man who had a history of making antisemitic remarks in social media posts.

The government cut off funding to Marouf's company in 2022 after public scrutiny of his hateful  tweets .

Alberta Conservative MP kicked out of the House of Commons

Before Poilievre's removal, Fergus had Conservative MP Rachael Thomas removed from the chamber after she shouted at him and called him "a disgrace" for not immediately demanding that Trudeau withdraw his comment about Poilievre being "spineless."

Trudeau's "spineless" remark did result in a rebuke from Fergus. The Speaker told Trudeau not to make comments that "call into question the character of an individual member of Parliament." 

It's highly unusual for a Speaker to remove the Official Opposition leader from the Commons during question period.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was forced out of the chamber in 2020 after he called a Bloc Québécois MP racist .

A spokesperson for Poilievre framed his leader's removal as an attempt by Fergus to "protect the prime minister" from tough questions and silence the Conservative leader.

"By any reasonable measure, these policies are wacko. The prime minister knows that and that's why he refuses to answer why he is keeping dangerous drugs legal in British Columbia," the spokesperson said.

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya'ara Saks told reporters earlier that Ottawa hasn't made a decision on what to do with B.C.'s request to make illicit drug use illegal in all public spaces after ending a federally sanctioned pilot project that decriminalized their possession .

"It's under review by Health Canada," Saks said.

As for Conservative claims that Poilievre is somehow being silenced, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said it's nonsense.

"That guy has never shut his mouth in his life. Who silences him? He keeps saying dumb things," Miller said.

"It would be good if he shut his yap once in a while. The stuff that he does in the House of Commons is disgraceful."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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J.P. Tasker is a journalist in CBC's parliamentary bureau who reports for digital, radio and television. He is also a regular panellist on CBC News Network's Power & Politics. He covers the Conservative Party, Canada-U.S. relations, Crown-Indigenous affairs, climate change, health policy and the Senate. You can send story ideas and tips to J.P. at [email protected].

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Biden admin 'perplexed' by Netanyahu decision to cancel Israeli delegation

W hite House national security spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration is "perplexed" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to cancel a high-level delegation’s planned visit to Washington after the U.S. decided not to veto a U.N. Security Council vote demanding a cease-fire in Gaza. 

Monday’s resolution, which passed 14-0, called for an immediate cease-fire during the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It also demanded the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas' Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel. However, the measure does not link that demand to its call for a cease-fire. 

Rather than use its veto power, the U.S. abstained from voting. The U.S. has previously vetoed three resolutions calling for a Gaza cease-fire.

Kirby noted that the resolution is "nonbinding," meaning that there will be no impact on Israel or its ability to continue waging war on Hamas. 

Kirby said the abstention did not represent a change in U.S. policy despite public statements from the prime minister’s office. 

"We get to decide what our policy is. It seems like the Prime Minister’s office is choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don’t need to do that," Kirby said.  

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HOUSE DEMS URGE BIDEN TO TARGET ISRAEL MILITARY AID OVER GAZA HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS

Kirby said the U.S. had vetoed other resolutions in the past, and chose not to support this one, because it did not condemn Hamas. 

"We didn’t veto [Monday’s resolution] because, in general, unlike previous resolutions, this one did fairly capture what has been our consistent policy, which is linking a hostage deal and the release of those men and women with a temporary ceasefire," Kirby said. 

Monday’s resolution demands the release of hostages but does not make it a condition for the cease-fire for the month of Ramadan, which ends in April. Hamas welcomed the U.N.’s move but said the cease-fire needed to be permanent. 

Netanyahu accused the U.S. of "retreating" from a "principled position" by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of the hostages held by Hamas. 

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was set to meet with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and others Monday in Washington where discussions would continue. 

AOC DOUBLES DOWN ON CLAIMS ISRAEL CARRYING OUT ‘GENOCIDE’ WITH ‘MASS FAMINE’ IN GAZA: ‘CROSSED THE THRESHOLD’

The U.S. abstention comes amid growing tensions between President Joe Biden's administration and Netanyahu over Israel's prosecution of the war, the high number of civilian casualties and the limited amounts of humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza. 

In addition, the well-known antagonism between Netanyahu and Biden deepened after Biden questioned Israel's strategy in combating Hamas.

The situation was made worse after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Biden ally, suggested in a speech last week that Netanyahu was not operating in Israel's best interests and called for Israel to hold new elections. Biden signaled his approval of Schumer's remarks, prompting a rebuke from Netanyahu.

During its U.S. visit, the Israeli delegation was to present White House officials with its plans for a possible ground invasion of Rafah, a city on the Egyptian border in southern Gaza where over 1 million Palestinian civilians have sought shelter from the war.

Since the start of the war, the Security Council has adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none has called for a cease-fire.

Israeli Energy Minister said Israel "will continue to fight until the safe return of the hostages and the eradication of Hamas ." 

"Any proposal for a ceasefire lacking these stipulations serves as a propellant for terrorist organizations around the world, inevitably ushering terrorism into the West," he said. 

Anne Bayefsky, Director of the Touro’s Institute of Human Rights and the Holocaust, said the Biden administration’s "failure to veto this resolution should send shock waves around the United States." 

"Last week they "demanded" the UN Security Council finally condemn Hamas for the October 7th atrocities - which the Council has never done. The Arab group of states, the Russians and Chinese said no. Two days later the moral backbone of the administration collapses and it allows the third Council resolution since October 7th that fails to condemn its perpetrators," Bayefsky said.

She argued that U.S. "strength and credibility has taken a tremendous hit – to the detriment of Israel and the Jewish people of America." 

More than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed during the fighting, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, though Israel has disputed these figures. The agency does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.

The United States has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire in Gaza, the most recent an Arab-backed measure on Feb. 20. That resolution was supported by 13 council members with one abstention, reflecting the overwhelming support for a cease-fire.

Original article source: Biden admin 'perplexed' by Netanyahu decision to cancel Israeli delegation

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Readout of President Joe   Biden’s Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of   Israel

President Biden spoke earlier today with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The President reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security following the successful defense against Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack earlier this month. They also reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The President referred to his statement with 17 other world leaders demanding that Hamas release their citizens without delay to secure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza. The President and the Prime Minister also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza including through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week. The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations. The leaders discussed Rafah and the President reiterated his clear position.

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Biden speaks with Netanyahu as tensions over the Israel-Hamas war mount in the US

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden held a phone call on Sunday with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the backdrop of growing U.S. college campus protests and a possibly imminent invasion of Rafah.

The two discussed areas of commonality, with Biden "reaffirm[ing] his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security" after Iran's missile and drone attack on the country earlier this month, the White House readout said. The leaders reviewed hostage and cease-fire discussions and talked about humanitarian aid in Gaza as well.

But the call also underscored daylight between the two on Israeli strategy in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah . Netanyahu shows no signs of backing away from a ground offensive there — a potential move that the U.S. publicly opposes.

“The leaders discussed Rafah and the President reiterated his clear position,” the readout said.

More than a million Palestinians are currently sheltering in the city.

Earlier on Sunday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during an ABC News interview that Israelis have "assured us they won’t go into Rafah until we’ve had a chance to really share our perspectives and concerns with them."

"So we’ll see where that goes," he added.

The call comes as pro-Palestinian protests sweep across college campuses. Though protesters’ demands differ across schools, many of the student organizers are calling for an end to the war and urging their universities to divest from companies that do business in Israel.

Biden has faced criticism from progressives and Muslim Americans for his support for Israel, a longtime U.S. ally, following Hamas' surprise terrorist attack on Oct. 7. At the same time, others have called on him to denounce the rising antisemitism on college campuses .

Sunday's conversation was Biden and Netanyahu's first phone call since April 4 , when Biden spoke with Netanyahu after an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers.

During the earlier April call, Biden "emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable," according to the White House readout .

In the days following the aid workers' April 1 deaths , the administration's public rhetoric toward the Israeli government sharpened as the president criticized his Israeli counterpart more than he had previously. Biden said in early April that he thinks Netanyahu is making a “mistake” with his handling of the war, adding, “I don’t agree with his approach.”

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

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Middle East crisis: Israel has agreed to listen to US concerns before any Rafah invasion, says White House – as it happened

Israel has started to meet commitments it made to Joe Biden on allowing aid into the north of Gaza, says White House national security spokesperson

• 28 Apr 2024 Closing summary
• 28 Apr 2024 White House: Israel has agreed to listen to US concerns before any Rafah invasion
• 28 Apr 2024 Hamas delegation to visit Cairo on Monday for Gaza ceasefire talks - official
• 28 Apr 2024 French foreign minister calls for calm during second visit to Lebanon
• 28 Apr 2024 Summary of the day so far...
• 28 Apr 2024 Death toll in Gaza reaches 34,454, says health ministry
• 28 Apr 2024 Palestinian president 'expects Israeli assault on Rafah to happen in the next days'
• 28 Apr 2024 Saudi Arabia's foreign minister chairs meeting with Arab countries to discuss war in Gaza – report
• 28 Apr 2024 Opening summary

White House: Israel has agreed to listen to US concerns before any Rafah invasion

Israel has agreed to listen to US concerns and thoughts before it launches an invasion of the city of Rafah in Gaza, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has said.

Kirby, speaking to ABC, also said Israel has started to meet the commitments it made to the US president, Joe Biden, on allowing aid into the north of Gaza .

Israel has signalled it plans to push ahead with a ground operation in southern Rafah, the only part of Gaza where it has not sent in troops. More than half of the Palestinian territory’s population of 2.3 million has sought shelter in Rafah after fleeing Israeli bombardment from elsewhere.

The long-threatened plan to attack the city has drawn intense opposition from Israel’s allies, including the US, which said it would cause thousands of civilian casualties and further disrupt aid deliveries .

Biden has previously warned that Israel should not go into Rafah without credible plans to protect civilians.

Closing summary

Diplomatic efforts increased on Sunday to reach a long sought-after truce and hostage-release deal in Gaza. The World Economic Forum (WEF) summit opened in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, which US secretary of state Antony Blinken and high-ranking officials from other countries trying to broker a ceasefire are also due to attend. While there is no Israeli participation, the other key players will discuss Israel’s war in Gaza, WEF president Borge Brende has said.

Speaking at the WEF summit, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas , said only the US could stop Israel attacking Rafah , the southernmost city in Gaza, where more than 1 million people are sheltering. Abbas added that he expected an assault on the city in the next days . “We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry on the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime,” he was quoted as saying. “What will happen in the coming few days is what Israel will do with attacking Rafah because all the Palestinians from Gaza are gathered there,” Abbas said. He added that only a “small strike” on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee the Gaza Strip. “The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history would then happen,” Abbas warned.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby later said that Israel had agreed to listen to US concerns and thoughts before it launches an invasion of Rafah. “They’ve assured us that they won’t go into Rafah until we’ve had a chance to really share our perspectives and our concerns with them,” Kirby told ABC. “What we’re hoping is that after six weeks of a temporary ceasefire, we can maybe get something more enduring in place,” Kirby said. “The Israelis have started to meet the commitments that (US) President (Joe) Biden asked them to meet,” he said. Biden has previously said that Israel should not go into Rafah without credible plans to protect civilians.

At least 34,454 Palestinian people have been killed and 77,575 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement . An estimated 66 people have been killed and 138 others injured over the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

A Hamas delegation will arrive in Egypt on Monday to deliver the group’s response to Israel’s new hostage and truce counterproposal, a senior official of the Palestinian militant group told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Hamas has previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire – a condition that Israel has rejected. However, the Axios news website, citing two Israeli officials, reported that Israel’s latest proposal includes a willingness to discuss the “restoration of sustainable calm” in Gaza after hostages are released.

During a visit to the headquarters of the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), France’s foreign minister, Stéphane Séjourné , said that Paris had been making proposals to “avoid war in Lebanon”. “I will head to Beirut to meet political authorities to … make proposals,” he said . “Our responsibility is to mitigate escalation, and that is also our role in UNIFIL. We have 700 soldiers here.” Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group have exchanged near-daily fire since Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October, in which about 1,200 people were killed.

We are closing this blog now, but you can stay up to date on the Guardian’s Middle East coverage here .

Here are the quotes from White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, about Israel having apparently agreed to listen to US concerns before it launches its planned invasion of Rafah (see earlier post at 14.43 ).

Washington has said it could not support a Rafah operation without an appropriate and credible humanitarian plan.

“They’ve assured us that they won’t go into Rafah until we’ve had a chance to really share our perspectives and our concerns with them,” Kirby told ABC.

“What we’re hoping is that after six weeks of a temporary ceasefire, we can maybe get something more enduring in place,” said Kirby, who also noted that the number of aid trucks into the north of Gaza was starting to increase.

“The Israelis have started to meet the commitments that (US) President (Joe) Biden asked them to meet,” he said.

A Democratic senator has questioned whether the Joe Biden administration has been properly assessing whether Israel was complying with international law, following a Reuters report that stated some senior US officials did not find the country’s assurances credible.

“This reporting casts serious doubt on the integrity of the process in the Biden administration for reviewing whether the Netanyahu government is complying with international law in Gaza ,” Senator Chris Van Hollen said in a statement.

The Reuters report found that some senior state department officials have advised secretary of state Antony Blinken that they do not find “credible or reliable” Israel’s assurances that it is using US-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Blinken must tell Congress by 8 May whether he finds Israel’s assurances credible. According to an internal state department memo, several bureaus within the agency did not find Israel’s statements credible, citing military actions that raised questions about potential violations of international humanitarian law, according to Reuters.

Van Hollen said the Reuters report had found that the recommendations of those bureaus “were swept aside for political convenience”.

“The determination regarding compliance with international law is one of fact and law. The facts and law should not be ignored to achieve a pre-determined policy outcome. Our credibility is on the line,” he said.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “couldn’t have done things worse” in the war in Gaza, according to a former speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Speaking on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Nancy Pelosi said she is “not a big fan” of Netanyahu and that he “has never been an agent for peace”.

In the interview, the former speaker said the war is challenging “the conscience of the world”, that the impact of famine on children in Gaza is “almost unforgivable” and criticised the death toll.

Pelosi told the BBC that the actions of Hamas on 7 October were “barbaric”.

She continued:

Israel has the right to defend itself – the manner in which they are doing it is really challenging because Netanyahu has never been an agent for peace. I’m not a big fan of his, but he couldn’t have done things worse than tens of thousands, whatever the figure may be of people dying, children malnourished, and the uncertainty that is there, and that’s what people are speaking out about.

Here are some of the latest images coming out from the newswires:

Student protests on US university campuses over Israel’s war on Gaza showed little sign of letting up over the weekend, with protesters vowing to continue until their demands for US educational bodies to disentangle from companies profiting from the conflict are met.

In what is perhaps the most significant student movement since the anti-Vietnam campus protests of the late 1960s, the conflict between pro-Palestinian students and university administrators has revealed an entire subset of conflicts.

After several years of semi-seasonal student marches through the city to voice positions on topics from racial justice to global heating to gun control, protests over the Israel-Gaza war are the latest headache for authorities. New York’s mayor, Eric Adams, blamed the NYU protests on “professional agitators”; the university fenced off the square where students customarily gather.

Several days earlier, and more than 100 blocks uptown, Columbia University officials had warned student members of the Gaza Solidarity encampment on the quadrangle of the Ivy League college that while they had a right to protest, they were not allowed “to disrupt campus life or harass and intimidate fellow students”.

But then, contentiously, the SRG was called in. Officers arrested – and later released – more than 100 students, inflaming a larger political debate surrounding the university president, Minouche Shafik, in the job less than a year. Students demanded Shafik resign because she’d called the police on to campus – actions that supercharged the spirits of student protest nationally – while accusations of antisemitism have mounted, both against protesters and against Shafik for, her critics say, not sufficiently protecting Jewish students.

You can read the full story by my colleague, Edward Helmore , here:

Israeli media has reported that Benjamin Netanyahu is fearful that the international criminal court (ICC) could imminently issue an arrest warrant against him, as well as top Israeli officials and fighters in the Israeli military.

“While decisions made by the court in The Hague will not affect Israel’s actions, they will set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures,” the Israeli prime minister said in a statement.

One of Israel’s leading television news outlets, Channel 12, reported earlier this month that Israel was increasingly worried by the possibility that the ICC would issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other top officials for alleged violations of international law in Gaza .

The report said that the prime minister’s Office held an “emergency discussion” on the issue.

Israel is not a member of the court, based in The Hague, and does not recognise its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted as a member state in 2015.

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan said in October the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes carried out by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israelis in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas delegation to visit Cairo on Monday for Gaza ceasefire talks - official

A Hamas delegation will visit Cairo, the Egyptian capital, on Monday for talks aimed at securing a ceasefire, a Hamas official has told Reuters.

The delegation will reportedly discuss a ceasefire proposal handed by Hamas to mediators Qatar and Egypt, as well as Israel’s response.

Reuter’s source did not disclose details of the latest proposals.

On Friday, senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya said the group had received Israel’s response to its ceasefire proposal and was studying it before handing its response to Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

Prior rounds of talks have failed to bridge the gaps in the two sides’ positions. Hamas wants an accord for a permanent end to the war and for Israel to pull its forces out of the Gaza Strip.

Israel has only offered a temporary ceasefire to free about 130 hostages remaining in captivity and to allow the delivery of more humanitarian aid. It has said it won’t end its operations until it has achieved its aim of destroying Hamas.

Israel’s foreign minister said on Saturday that a planned incursion into Rafah, where more than one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, could be suspended should a deal emerge to release the Israeli hostages.

US news website Axios, citing two Israeli officials, reported that Israel’s latest proposal includes a willingness to discuss the “restoration of sustainable calm” in Gaza after hostages are released.

It is the first time in the nearly seven-month war that Israeli leaders have suggested they are open to discussing an end to the war, Axios said. These reports have not yet been independently verified.

French foreign minister calls for calm during second visit to Lebanon

France’s top diplomat on Sunday urged calm in Lebanon during his second visit since cross-border tensions with Israel flared on the back of the war in Gaza.

Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group have exchanged near-daily fire since Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October sparked the war in Gaza .

Fighting has intensified in recent weeks, with Israel striking deeper into Lebanese territory, while Hezbollah has stepped up its missile and drone attacks on military positions in northern Israel.

France has for months sought to de-escalate the cross-border tensions, presenting to Lebanon and Israel an initiative in January seeking to end hostilities.

Dans le Sud-Liban, les casques bleus de l’ @UNIFIL_ poursuivent l’objectif de paix et de stabilité dans la région. 🇺🇳 Une action nécessaire que je tiens à saluer. pic.twitter.com/WkruGLSuio — Stéphane Séjourné (@steph_sejourne) April 28, 2024

During a visit to the headquarters of the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), French foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné reiterated that Paris has been making proposals to “avoid war in Lebanon”.

“I will head to Beirut to meet political authorities to … make proposals,” he said. “Our responsibility is to mitigate escalation, and that is also our role in UNIFIL. We have 700 soldiers here.”

A French diplomatic source told AFP that the volume of cross-border attacks had doubled since 13 April.

Séjourné is set to meet Lebanese officials on Sunday afternoon before holding a press conference.

In March, Beirut submitted its response to the French initiative, which was based on a UN resolution barring the presence of any forces other than the Lebanese military and UNIFIL in south Lebanon.

Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati, who heads a caretaker government with reduced powers, on Friday suggested that Paris was reviewing its proposal and would submit a new one to Beirut.

Séjourné’s trip – which will also see him stop in Riyadh for a summit on Gaza – coincides with a visit to Jerusalem by US envoy Amos Hochstein as Washington also pushes for de-escalation along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Summary of the day so far...

Diplomatic efforts increased on Sunday to reach a long sought-after truce and hostage-release deal in Gaza. The World Economic Forum (WEF) summit opened in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, which US secretary of state Antony Blinken and high-ranking officials from other countries trying to broker a ceasefire are also due to attend. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud , chaired a meeting in Riyadh earlier today with representatives from six Arab countries to discuss Israel’s war in Gaza. They reiterated their calls to see Israel’s military offensive in Gaza end and voiced their opposition to Israel’s planned assault on Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah , the only corner of the strip that has not seen fierce ground fighting and where more than half of the Palestinian territory’s population of 2.3 million has sought shelter.

Speaking at the WEF summit, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas , said only the US could stop Israel attacking Rafah , adding he expected an assault on the city in the next days . “We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry on the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime,” he was quoted as saying. “What will happen in the coming few days is what Israel will do with attacking Rafah because all the Palestinians from Gaza are gathered there,” Abbas said. He added that only a “small strike” on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee the Gaza Strip. “The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history would then happen.”

Peter Beaumont , a senior international correspondent for the Guardian, has an interesting piece about the sense of growing optimism in the truce talks between Hamas and Israel, and explores what the contours of any agreement could look like.

You can read it in full here:

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