Australia is an important partner to the US, the prime minister has insisted, as he faces growing pressure to lock down an in-person meeting with Donald Trump.
Since Anthony Albanese’s first planned face-to-face with the US president was up-ended last month by events in the Middle East, the prime minister has spent weeks being grilled over their next possible meeting.
Some have speculated that Mr Trump has yet to meet Mr Albanese because Australia is relatively insignificant, globally, compared to other US trading partners.
But the prime minister disagrees.
“Australia always pulls our weight,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.
“We’re significant players in delivering peace and security in our region, we’re also a significant economy, providing goods and services to the world and making a difference.”
“I think viewers, watchers and readers of some of the media would think that Australia is this little country that doesn’t contribute anything to this relationship – we do,” he also told Seven’s Sunrise program
The two leaders were expected to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in mid-June but Mr Trump left the event the night before their scheduled chat to deal with escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.
However, the prime minister wasn’t the only world leader to be stood up by the US president.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum was also due to meet Mr Trump for the first time that same day, while scheduled talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also put on ice.
Mr Albanese said he understood the president’s decision to leave, which eventually led to a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and noted there would be plenty more opportunities to meet as the global summit season looms.
The G20 leaders meeting in November, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in June and the Quad meeting – which will occur some time this year – all offer a second chance for the two to get together. Mr Albanese could also visit the US in September for the United Nations General Assembly.
Some observers also raised concerns that critical comments previously made by US ambassador Kevin Rudd could hurt negotiations as Australia tries to broker an exemption from America’s 50 per cent tariffs on Australian steel and aluminium imports and 10 per cent levies on other goods.
But Mr Albanese noted that US Vice-President JD Vance, who had also previously made strong comments about Mr Trump, was now his second in command.
“We have a former prime minister in Kevin Rudd as our ambassador – that says a lot about the priority we place in the relationship with the United States,” he said.
“I’ve been respectful of the president and I must say that he’s been respectful of me as well.”
Mr Albanese has spoken with the Republican over the phone on at least three occasions, including a call during which Mr Trump congratulated him on his thumping re-election.
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