Live updates: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks to media on US trip

Follow the briefing with RNZ’s blog below

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been speaking to media in the United States, where he will meet US and European leaders and attend the NATO summit.

The prime minister made it clear he would work with anyone the American people voted into office and batted away questions around Joe Biden’s candidacy for the Democratic party.

“I’m not touching US domestic politics. I’m focused on New Zealand, making sure I can work with whichever government is put in place.”

As part of the visit, he announced another $16 million for Ukraine, taking New Zealand’s contribution to $130m since 2022.

This week’s summit will be the PM’s first on an international scale, standing side-by-side with leaders of some of the biggest global economies.

On Wednesday morning NZT Luxon spent several hours at Capitol Hill, He met Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair, Democrat representative Ben Cardin, ranking member, Republican representative Jim Risch, and Democrat Senator for Georgia Jon Ossoff.

Later on Wednesday, Luxon attends the NATO 75th anniversary commemorative dinner, which could be his first opportunity to meet US President Joe Biden informally, though no plans have been confirmed.