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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Namita Singh,Graeme Massie,Maryam Zakir-Hussain and Martha McHardy

Biden news – live: President to meet Zelensky as palace reacts to King Charles royal protocol breach

AFP via Getty Images
Rishi Sunak welcomes Joe Biden to Downing Street

Joe Biden is in Lithuania for a key summit of Nato leaders today and will meet with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on the second day of the Vilnius gathering, US officials have confirmed.

The meeting comes as Mr Biden expressed doubts in recent days about Ukraine’s long-sought goal of joining the trans-Atlantic alliance.

On Monday the US president caused a stir when he appeared to breach royal protocol by touching King Charles III during an arrival ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Charles reportedly did not mind that Mr Biden patted the monarch on the back, with a palace source calling it a “wonderful symbol of warmth and affection... between both the individuals and their nations”.

The King did, however, appear to lose his cool after one of the Welsh Guards at the castle apparently spent too much time engaging the president in conversation. Mr Biden appeared to ignore the King when he tried to get him to stop talking during their inspection.

Earlier the president stopped by 10 Downing Street to meet with prime minister Rishi Sunak.

After the Nato summit, Mr Biden will travel to Helsinki to celebrate Finland’s recent entry into Nato and meet with Nordic leaders.

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