‘Outside chance' Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles could meet face-to-face with Trump this week after Albanese's G7 snub
The summit is set to take place at the Hague, the Netherlands, on June 24 to the 26.
A Canberra source told Sky News political correspondent Cameron Reddin the Defence Minister had an 'outside chance' of becoming the first member of government to meet the leader of the free world, although it was a 'very fluid situation'.
Trump is due to fly to the Netherlands on Tuesday and may meet with the four Indo-Pacific nations, Australia, New Zealand, Korea and Japan, who form the IP4 meeting, to take place this week.
However, Mr Albanese was not alone in his decision not to attend the NATO summit and was joined by South Korea and Japan whose leaders would also skip the trip.
Japan's Fuji Television said Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was pulling out because a planned meeting between NATO and the group of four Indo-Pacific nations (IP4) was not likely to take place, and because a meeting with Trump was also unlikely.
Japan said Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will travel to the Netherlands to attend NATO-related functions and hold bilateral meetings.
Speaking to Sky News on Tuesday, Nationals Senator Matt Canavan said if Mr Marles did manage to score a one-on-one with Trump it would be 'very embarrassing' for the Prime Minister.
'This is a big problem now that our Prime Minister hasn't met with President Trump six months after his election,' he said.
' There has been ample time to do that.'
Mr Canavan said he did not blame Mr Albanese for being snubbed at the G7 as it was 'out of his control', but a meeting in Washington in the six months since Trump's inauguration should have occurred.
'Many other leaders have done this. We're one of the Five Eyes nations, so one of the four most important allies to the United States,' he said.
'It is unacceptable that our government, our Prime Minister, has not met with the new Prime Minister six months after (Trump's) election.'
Over the weekend, Sky News revealed Mr Albanese had yet to receive a phone call from Trump after their meeting was cancelled at the G7 summit in Canada.
As of Saturday, Mr Albanese had not received a phone call from Trump, even though he contacted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
There has been no indication that the President has contacted other cancelled counterparts, such as South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, or Mr Albanese.
The Albanese government has suggested there is no cause for concern, despite the highly-visible diplomatic snub.
A meeting between the two leaders is still agreed to, according to senior government sources - and the question is simply when, not if.
-with Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Trump, EU's von der Leyen to meet to clinch trade deal
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to meet US President Donald Trump to clinch a trade deal for Europe that would likely see a 15 per cent baseline tariff on most EU goods, but end months of uncertainty for EU companies. Before the meeting, expected at 1530 GMT Sunday (0130 AEST Monday) on Trump's golf course in Turnberry, western Scotland, US and EU teams were in final talks on tariffs for crucial sectors like cars, steel, aluminium or pharmaceuticals. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick flew to Scotland on Saturday and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic arrived on Sunday morning. Lutnick told "Fox News Sunday" that the EU needed to open its markets for more US exports to convince Trump to reduce a threatened 30 per cent tariff rate that is due to kick in on August 1. "The question is, do they offer President Trump a good enough deal that is worth it for him to step off of the 30 per cent tariffs that he set," Lutnick said, adding that the EU clearly wanted - and needed - to reach an agreement. A separate U.S. administration official was upbeat that a deal was possible. "We're cautiously optimistic that there will be a deal reached," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "But it's not over till it's over." Ambassadors of EU governments, on a weekend trip to Greenland organised by the Danish presidency of the EU, held a teleconference with EU Commission officials on Sunday to agree on the amount of leeway von der Leyen would have in the talks. In case there is no deal and the U.S. imposes 30 per cent tariffs from August 1, the EU has prepared counter-tariffs on 93 bn euros ($A164 bn) of US goods. EU diplomats have said a deal would likely include a broad 15 per cent tariff on EU goods imported into the US, mirroring the U.S.-Japan trade deal, along with a 50 per cent tariff on European steel and aluminium for which there could be export quotas. The EU deal would be a huge prize, given that the US and EU are each other's largest trading partners by far and account for a third of global trade. EU officials are hopeful that a 15 per cent baseline tariff would also apply to cars, replacing the current 27.5 per cent auto tariff. Some expect the 27-nation bloc may be able to secure exemptions from the 15 per cent baseline tariff for its aerospace industry and for spirits, though probably not for wine. The EU could also pledge to buy more liquefied natural gas from the US, a long-standing offer, and boost investment in the United States. The US president, in Scotland for a few days of golfing and bilateral meetings, told reporters upon his arrival on Friday evening that von der Leyen was a highly respected leader and he was looking forward to meeting with her.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Trump, EU's von der Leyen to meet to clinch trade deal
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to meet US President Donald Trump to clinch a trade deal for Europe that would likely see a 15 per cent baseline tariff on most EU goods, but end months of uncertainty for EU companies. Before the meeting, expected at 1530 GMT Sunday (0130 AEST Monday) on Trump's golf course in Turnberry, western Scotland, US and EU teams were in final talks on tariffs for crucial sectors like cars, steel, aluminium or pharmaceuticals. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick flew to Scotland on Saturday and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic arrived on Sunday morning. Lutnick told "Fox News Sunday" that the EU needed to open its markets for more US exports to convince Trump to reduce a threatened 30 per cent tariff rate that is due to kick in on August 1. "The question is, do they offer President Trump a good enough deal that is worth it for him to step off of the 30 per cent tariffs that he set," Lutnick said, adding that the EU clearly wanted - and needed - to reach an agreement. A separate U.S. administration official was upbeat that a deal was possible. "We're cautiously optimistic that there will be a deal reached," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "But it's not over till it's over." Ambassadors of EU governments, on a weekend trip to Greenland organised by the Danish presidency of the EU, held a teleconference with EU Commission officials on Sunday to agree on the amount of leeway von der Leyen would have in the talks. In case there is no deal and the U.S. imposes 30 per cent tariffs from August 1, the EU has prepared counter-tariffs on 93 bn euros ($A164 bn) of US goods. EU diplomats have said a deal would likely include a broad 15 per cent tariff on EU goods imported into the US, mirroring the U.S.-Japan trade deal, along with a 50 per cent tariff on European steel and aluminium for which there could be export quotas. The EU deal would be a huge prize, given that the US and EU are each other's largest trading partners by far and account for a third of global trade. EU officials are hopeful that a 15 per cent baseline tariff would also apply to cars, replacing the current 27.5 per cent auto tariff. Some expect the 27-nation bloc may be able to secure exemptions from the 15 per cent baseline tariff for its aerospace industry and for spirits, though probably not for wine. The EU could also pledge to buy more liquefied natural gas from the US, a long-standing offer, and boost investment in the United States. The US president, in Scotland for a few days of golfing and bilateral meetings, told reporters upon his arrival on Friday evening that von der Leyen was a highly respected leader and he was looking forward to meeting with her.
Sky News AU
3 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘A big deal': PM Modi meets King Charles as India-UK free trade deal signed
Entertainment Reporter Bronte Coy discusses King Charles' meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'The King has been keeping busy,' Ms Coy told Sky News host Caroline Di Russo. 'This was part of a two-day visit by the Indian prime minister, which was largely to discuss the free trade deal which he'd signed earlier in the day before meeting King Charles. 'That deal was three years in the making, so quite a big deal, particularly post-Brexit. 'The prime minister also turned up with a tree sapling as part of an environmental initiative that he himself had launched, so absolutely the way to the King's heart there, with plants and gardening and the environment.'
