Queen Elizabeth expected to speak with Boris Johnson this week
February 21, 2022, 5:58 pm

Queen Elizabeth expected to speak with Boris Johnson this week

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (File photo: Official Facebook page)

The Swiss Info reported, citing Reuters, Britain's Queen Elizabeth is expected to speak by telephone with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and hold other virtual engagements this week, a day after testing positive for COVID-19.

Buckingham Palace said on Sunday Elizabeth, 95, was suffering mild cold-like symptoms after testing positive for the disease but was expecting to carry on with light duties.

The palace said, she is due to speak to Johnson on Wednesday for her regular weekly update, and is planning to go ahead with other virtual diplomatic audiences scheduled with foreign ambassadors.

The queen, who has been fully vaccinated against coronavirus, quipped just four days ago that she could not move much. Fears about her health have mounted since she spent a night in hospital last October for an unspecified ailment.

Queen Elizabeth tests positive for Covid-19

Johnson said on Twitter on Sunday: "I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from COVID and a rapid return to vibrant good health."

Source: swissinfo

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.