The pair met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, where the leaders of the world’s most advanced economies are meeting to discuss a range of matters including China’s ambition in the Indo-Pacific region.
Top of the G7’s agenda is how they can support Ukraine’s war against Russian invaders.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has touched down in Hiroshima to push for more Western support ahead of a new offensive against Russian forces.
Mr Biden was due to travel from Japan to Australia to address federal parliament in Canberra and attend the Quad Leaders’ summit at the Sydney Opera House.
But tricky ongoing negotiations with congress on the US debt ceiling have forced him to cut his overseas trip short, and return to Washington DC on Sunday.
And again, I truly apologise to you for having you to come here, rather than me be in Australia right now – but we have a little thing going on at home I got to pay attention to.”
Despite his disappointment, Mr Albanese accepted the situation at hand.
“Certainly, I understand the circumstances that led us to hold the Sydney Quad meeting in Hiroshima later this evening,” Mr Albanese quipped.
“I understand the circumstances that you’re dealing with, and I would’ve done exactly the same thing – all politics is local.” ABC