This weekend, President Joe Biden is headed to Europe. His first stop:
the U.K.

Biden is scheduled to meet with both His Royal Highness King Charles, an
old acquaintance and fellow head of state; and the Right Honorable Rishi
Sunak, Britain’s prime minister and a fellow head of government – who
just visited Biden in Washington this past month. 

On the agenda for these meetings: climate change, the war in Ukraine,
and the “Atlantic Declaration” – that’s the diplomatic term for Biden
and Sunak’s push to renew the U.K. and America’s partnership across a
host of economic and security issues facing the West. 

Joining to talk about these issues as well as Britain and America’s
special relationship is Karen Pierce, the British Ambassador to the
United States. Pierce is one of the U.K.’s most experienced diplomats,
having held an array of senior positions including ambassadorships to
the U.N., the WTO, and Afghanistan; as well as directing British policy
throughout South Asia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan during some key years
of the War on Terror. 

On this episode of Playbook Deep Dive, Pierce tells host and Playbook
co-author Ryan Lizza what Sunak hopes to get out of Biden’s trip to
London; how Britain and America’s relationship has changed throughout
her many years of service; how the war in Ukraine is driving the two
countries closer – and occasionally further apart; who Brits admire the
most in our nation’s history; and what her secrets are for dealing with
cagey diplomats on the other side of the bargaining table.

Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.
Karen Pierce is the British Ambassador to the U.S.
Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio. 
Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.