US President Joe Biden remains committed to attending the annual QUAD leadership summit in India this year, the White House confirmed on Thursday.
Despite no fixed date yet, Biden's engagement with the QUAD countries—Australia, Japan, India, and the US—remains a priority.
"We're still committed to there being a Quad leader summit this year, but there's nothing on the calendar right now for it," said John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, during a news conference.
The QUAD, an initiative by Biden early in his presidency, held its first virtual leadership summit within his first 100 days in office in 2020. Since then, the leaders have convened annually, rotating host countries. This year, India is set to host the summit.
Kirby highlighted that, although Biden is not seeking reelection, opportunities for advancing his foreign policy and national security agenda will arise. "So we're all exploring what those opportunities can look like in terms of advancing his foreign policy agenda and national security opportunities here and around the world," he noted.
He further added that, with significant global challenges, including the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, climate change, and the volatile Indo-Pacific region, Biden's schedule will be shaped by these pressing issues.
"I think there'll be some opportunities that the president is going to want to explore," Kirby remarked.
Kirby's comments underscore the administration's focus on key international issues and strategic partnerships.
"Look, I mean, we've still got a war in Ukraine, still got a war in Gaza, still got climate change to deal with. We've still got a very restless Indo-Pacific. I mean, I could go on and on. There's plenty of things for the national security team to try to continue to get done," he added in response to a question about Biden's upcoming engagements.
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