Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa and agreed to start negotiations on a Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) with the EU at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Alberta, Canada.

The Partnership will provide a framework for current and future cooperation including in areas such as defence industry, cyber and counter-terrorism. 

Over the past two days, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with leaders from across the world at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Alberta, Canada.

The Prime Minister participated with other G7 invited guests in a session on the future of global energy security.

Leaders discussed the need to diversify energy sources and strengthen critical minerals supply chains.

Australia endorsed the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan, which increases cooperation to build standards-based markets, mobilise capital and promote innovation.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks for joining us. This afternoon I have had two bilateral meetings. My first face-to-face meeting with the President of the Republic of Korea, President Lee. Our first in person meeting after we had a very warm conversation on Thursday. I congratulated him on his election. And he and I, I'm sure, will develop a very strong relationship. The Republic of Korea are important economic partners of Australia. We have a significant economic relationship.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, it’s terrific to meet with Prime Minister Carney here in Canada. This is the first visit by an Australian Prime Minister to Canada since 2014. Canada and Australia have so much in common. We share values. We're two great democracies. And it was an opportunity for us to talk together one on one, as we were able to in Rome and as we had in a number of phone conversations that I'd had with Prime Minister Carney since our respective either elections or appointments as prime ministers.

MATT GARMAN, CEO, AMAZON WEB SERVICE: Thank you all for coming out this morning, we appreciate having you all here. Welcome to Prime Minister Albanese. Thank you for your visit. We really like having you here in the Spheres. It's a nice sunny day here in Seattle. So thank you all, we appreciate you bringing the sunny weather to us.

It’s great to be here in Seattle.

Around the world, this is a city that stands for innovation and aspiration.

The genius to unlock discovery - and the determination and drive that turns a breakthrough idea, into a breakout commercial success.

Seattle is home to a powerful combination of co-operation and competition, people working with each other and spurring each other on.

This room tells that story.

We have representation here from the whole business pipeline – from start-ups to global household names.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman in Seattle today to welcome AWS’s investment of AUD$20 billion into data centre infrastructure in Australia.

Over the next five years, this landmark investment will provide the world’s most advanced infrastructure that can support complex artificial intelligence (AI) and all other technology applications, enabling organisations across Australia to train and deploy AI models and continue to rapidly innovate.

SITIVENI RABUKA, PRIME MINISTER OF FIJI: Well, it is a great honour for us to receive the Prime Minister of Australia, and the people and the Government of Fiji would like to congratulate him on his most successful return. Well done, and we were really flattered, honoured, when he called me a few hours after he was sworn in on his way out to visit the President of Indonesia. And our first visitor straight after that was Foreign Minister, Penny Wong. Thank you.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Fiji, the United States of America and Canada from 13-19 June 2025.

On 13 June 2025 in Nadi, Prime Minister Albanese will meet with the Hon Sitiveni Rabuka, Prime Minister of Fiji.

Leaders will discuss bilateral cooperation under our elevated Vuvale Partnership, including on climate change and regional security.

In Seattle, the Prime Minister will meet a range of business leaders to discuss how the US and Australia can work together to take advantage of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.  

SIMON HICKEY, WESTERN SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CEO: So welcome everybody to this wonderful milestone, completing all of our major work contracts and announcing Air New Zealand, and I'll open up to questions.

JOURNALIST: The Prime Minister says this is the best airport in Australia – what makes it so?