Australian news and politics live updates: Anthony Albanese departs US, says ‘alliance stronger than ever’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has departed the US after his impressive meeting with President Donald Trump, claiming the alliance between the two nations is “stronger than ever”.

The PM shared his wrap up message on his US trip on social media, posting an image of himself grinning outside the White House.

“Here at the White House, we’ve made big progress for Australian jobs and our economy back home,” Mr Albanese wrote.

“The agreement we signed with President Trump will mean making more things together with the United States.

“We’re heading home with our alliance stronger than ever before.”

Anthony Albanese has reluctantly revealed he gave Melania Trump jewellery and Donald Trump a model submarine, after the US President publicly praised AUKUS.

It is customary for leaders to trade gifts on behalf of their countries during official visits.

Fronting reporters at the Australian Embassy on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), Mr Albanese had no choice but to address it on the record, giving a tortured response straight out of Yes, Prime Minister.

“I gave a … our gift was done through protocol and … so I know what our gift was, which was two things, at least perhaps more,” he said.

“We had a gift for Melania. We had jewellery. We had a submarine model for the President.

“And we had some Ugg bootees for the President’s newest granddaughter … and I’m sure they will be very well received.”

Read the drama around Trump’s gift to Albanese.

The White House has shared a video on social media of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Set to stirring orchestral music, the video includes comments by Mr Trump calling Mr Albanese a “friend”, with the Prime Minister echoing those feelings.

The video did not include any footage of Australia’s Ambassor to the United States, Kevin Rudd.

European countries are working with Ukraine on a 12-point proposal to end Russia’s war along current battle lines, Bloomberg News reports, as the White House says a US-Russia meeting is not locked in.

A peace board chaired by US President Donald Trump would oversee the implementation of the proposed plan, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

European leaders called on the United States on Tuesday to hold firm in demanding an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, with present battle lines to serve as the basis for any future talks.

It comes as a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was put on hold on Tuesday.

A senior White House official told Reuters that “there are no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the immediate future” after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a “productive call” but opted against an in-person meeting.

Read the full story.

Anthony Albanese says Kevin Rudd will serve out four years as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, stating the US President Donald Trump had forgiven the former prime minister for his historical insults.

He told a corporate lunch that he told Mr Trump that Mr Rudd’s seniority as a former prime minister was a sign of the importance of the US relationship to his government.

Mr Albanese’s strident embrace of his Ambassador came 24 hours after he laughed and grinned through the US President’s tense encounter with the former Labor leader — the only hitch in an otherwise flawless first meeting between the two leaders.

Mr Trump told Mr Rudd that he didn’t like him and probably never would after being asked if the former prime minister’s insults were the reason for Australia’s first leader-to-leader meeting being delayed for nine months.

The Prime Minister said he observed Mr Trump absolving Mr Rudd.

“All is forgiven, he said that while you were exiting the room,” the prime minister told reporters during a press conference at the Australian Embassy in the United States, one day after his successful meeting with Mr Trump.

“Kevin Rudd is doing a fantastic job as the Ambassador. Up on the Hill, every single person who spoke this morning will say exactly the same thing.”

​Read the full story. ​

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says everything is “all fine” between Australia and the United States after Kevin Rudd, the ambassador to the US, came face-to-face with Donald Trump in a tense White House exchange.

Mr Trump, after hearing of Mr Rudd’s past criticism, said he didn’t like the ambassador.

“That was a bit of light-hearted discussion,” Mr Albanese said on Sunrise on Wednesday, attempting to cool lingering concerns over Mr Rudd.

“It was all fine. What I was focused on was on the national interest, and it was incredibly successful meeting.”

Speaking on ABC, Mr Albanese attempted to claim that Mr Trump’s comments were “just some banter”.

It is understood that Mr Rudd fronted up to Mr Trump after the awkward exchange, apologising for his negative comments about the US President.