Anthony Albanese trades COP31 for Trump talks as he flies to Philippines for regional discussions
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will leave a United Nations climate event in Turkey and fly to the Philippines for regional discussions.
Anthony Albanese will swap talks about global warming for heated political discussions as he flies out of Europe and into Asia for a potential meeting with US President Donald Trump.
The prime minister left the United Nations’ COP31 summit in Turkey on Friday night, Australia time, headed to the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines where he is expected to hold discussions with regional leaders.
The stop is the latest in an 11-day international trip for the leader that will end with a visit to the APEC Forum in the Chinese technology hub of Shenzhen.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Mr Albanese is expected to host discussions about regional security and fuel supplies at the ASEAN Summit in Manila, but could also meet with members of the Quad, which includes the US, Japan and India.
Mr Trump is confirmed to attend the event on November 17, which will also host recently re-elected Brazilian Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The US and Australian leaders could meet as many as three times during the ASEAN and APEC events after last taking a selfie in September at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Australia has played a role in ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, since joining as a dialogue partner in 1974, and hosted the event in 2024.
The visit comes after a packed three-day schedule at COP31 climate talks in Antalya, where Mr Albanese addressed the opening of the leaders’ summit segment of the annual event.
He also hosted roundtables with Pacific leaders and Australian clean energy businesses, and held bilateral talks with nations including the UK, Lebanon, Bangladesh and Norway.
The Australian government faced widespread criticism from environmental groups and activists at the summit, however, for failing to address the nation’s position on a fossil fuel phase-out while calling for action to limit global warming.
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen will stay at COP31 as head of negotiations, and will issue a cover decision with the event’s president, Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum, at its end on November 20.
