President Joe Biden on Monday sat down with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the White House, seeking to strengthen ties with the world’s third largest democracy and a key player in the critical region of Southeast Asia – even as the U.S. leader faced a clear reminder of the delicate balance he is walking when it comes to the Middle East.
“Today we’re talking about taking our relationship to launching the highest possible level of cooperation,” Biden told Widodo at the top of the pair’s meeting on Monday. “A comprehensive strategic partnership.”
Widodo told Biden it was an “honor” to fulfill the invitation to the White House and called the U.S. “one of the most important partners for Indonesia.” But the Indonesian leader also made a direct plea in the Oval Office for the U.S. to support a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
“Indonesia appeals to the U.S. to do more to stop the atrocities in Gaza,” Widodo told Biden. “Cease-fire is a must for the sake of humanity.”
For weeks, the president has emphasized Israel’s right and obligation to defend itself while also calling for protection of civilians in the Palestinian territories.
As many in the international world now call for a cease-fire, the U.S. president has continued to reject the word, asking for “pauses” in the fighting instead.
“No. No possibility,” he told reporters last week when asked about the chances of a cease-fire, while later emphasizing he has asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for pauses to help get hostages out, allow aid to flow to civilians and move Palestinians to safer parts of Gaza.
The pair’s White House meeting comes just a day before Biden will leave for San Francisco to attend the Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation summit, where he is also expected to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Biden and Widodo are expected to share an afternoon tea and meet with top advisers as part of their new strategic partnership. The two leaders were set to discuss expanding the trade of critical minerals like nickel, which can be used to produce electric vehicle batteries. Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel.
“Indonesian is a critical player – critical – in clean energy transitioning the world,” Biden said on Monday.
The U.S. has looked to boost ties in the Indo-Pacific as Washington and Beijing have been jockeying for influence in Southeast Asia, which is a critical crossroads for trade and a potential flashpoint for global conflict.
“This will mark a new era of relations between the United States and Indonesia, across the board, affecting everything,” Biden said.
Earlier this year, Vice President Kamala Harris represented the Biden administration at the regional ASEAN summit in Indonesia, with the White House facing questions about not sending the president himself as he prepared to head to the Group of 20 summit in India and Vietnam.
The Associated Press contributed to this report