which is expected to focus heavily on defense matters.

The USS America, the U.S. Navy's lead amphibious assault ship in the Indo-Pacific, entered Sydney Harbour as the first of three vessels in a strike group carrying 2,500 sailors and Marines, submarine-hunting helicopters, and F-35B fighter jets.

More than 30,000 personnel from 19 nations are beginning to arrive in Australia for Talisman Sabre, the largest combined Australian–U.S. military exercise. It will commence next month and span 6,500 kilometers (4,000 miles), stretching from Australia’s Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island to the Coral Sea on the east coast. Rear Admiral Tom Shultz, commander of the America, said training in Australia was vital for the U.S. Navy readiness. Rear Admiral Chris Smith, commander of the Australian fleet, emphasized that the “trust and robust nature” of the bilateral relationship enables the two allies to respond effectively to change.

“The diversity of how we view the world is actually a real strength in our alliance,” Smith told reporters, adding that Australia also maintains strong ties with other nations in the region. Albanese and Trump are expected to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, which begins on Sunday. A key topic of discussion is expected to be Washington’s request for Canberra to increase its defense spending from 2 percent to 3.5 percent  of its gross domestic product.

The Pentagon announced  that it is reviewing the AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Saturday that the review was “not a surprise,” and reaffirmed that both countries continue to work closely together.

However, Michael Green, a former national security adviser to President George W. Bush, noted that it is unusual for the AUKUS review to be conducted solely by the Pentagon. He suggested that Trump may link the review to the defense spending request or to trade tariffs. (Reuters)