WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2023) US President Joe Biden decided he cannot postpone debt limit negotiations with lawmakers while his planned visits to Australia and Papua New Guinea next week can be rescheduled at a later date, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday.
Biden is currently engaged in ongoing negotiations with Republican lawmakers to reach a deal to raise the debt limit before the country risks defaulting as early as June.
"The work that we need to do bilaterally with Australia through the Quad and with the Pacific Islands is work that can be done at a later date, whereas the final stretch of negotiations over the debt limit or over the budget cannot be done at a later date," Sullivan said during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One.
Biden ultimately made the final decision to participate in the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend, but postponed his trips to Australia and Papua New Guinea, Sullivan added.
Sullivan underscored that Biden felt it was critical that he be at the G7 summit because it is vital to getting alignment and convergence with key countries, including the countries in the Quad. The leaders of Australia and India will be in Hiroshima, and the US president will have the opportunity to engage with them there.
According to Sullivan, Papua New Guinea is disappointed Biden postponed his visit.
The US Congressional Budget Office warned last week that the country faced a "significant risk" of defaulting within the first two weeks of June if lawmakers fail to increase the amount of debt the country is legally allowed to take on.
