‘I truly apologise’: President Joe Biden sorry for cancelled Sydney Quad meet

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, on Saturday, just days after Mr Biden announced he had cancelled his trip to Sydney.

“I truly apologise to you for having you to come here, rather than me being in Australia right now,” he said.

“But we have a thing going on at home right now and I’ve got to pay attention to that.”

News than Mr Biden had cancelled his visit prompted Mr Albanese to call off the Quad meeting between Australia, India, Japan and the United States, to discuss the Indo-Pacific’s most pressing challenges.

Instead a shortened format Quad meeting will take place on Saturday evening after the G7 forum.

The trip was cancelled as negotiations between Mr Biden’s White House and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives faltered over how to deal with the US reaching the debt ceiling – predicted to occur in early June.

If Congress fails to raise the borrowing limit, America won’t be able to meet its financial obligations.

Mr Albanese told the US president he “certainly” understood the circumstances that led to his visit being canned.

“I was saddened that you were unable to come down next week but I understand the circumstances that you’re dealing with, and I would have done exactly the same thing,” he said.

“All politics is local, as you and I both understand.”

Mr Biden responded: “All politics may be local, but friendship is permanent.”

Mr Albanese touched down in Japan on Friday as a guest for the three-day talks among leaders from some of the world’s most powerful countries.

During the meeting, the pair signed a new agreement to further collaboration between the two countries on climate and clean energy.