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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's hopes of meeting with US President Donald Trump have been dealt another blow, with Australia left off a list of countries whose leaders White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the commander-in-chief would be meeting.
Albanese is in the US this week for the United Nations General Assembly, and this morning is expected to address a two-state solution conference on Australia's decision to formally recognise a Palestinian state.
But many eyes at home have been on focused on whether Albanese and Trump will finally have a face-to-face discussion, the first between the two leaders.
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Leavitt said formal meetings had been set up for representatives of Ukraine, the European Union, Indonesia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Jordan, but did not mention Australia.
If that was a complete list and Australia is not included in the new round of meetings, Albanese will be left with just one window of opportunity to secure some time with Trump, at a reception the latter is hosting in New York.
He will be far from the only world leader jostling for a conversation with the US president, however.
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Trump and many of his Republican allies have been critical of the decision to recognise a Palestinian state, which has been joined by major allies including the UK and France.
"(Trump) feels this does not do anything to release the hostages, which is the primary goal right now in Gaza, does nothing to end this conflict and bring this war to a close," Leavitt said.
"And frankly, he believes it's a reward to Hamas. So he believes these decisions are just more talk and not enough action from some of our friends and allies."
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Albanese yesterday refused to guarantee he had locked in a time to meet Trump, telling Today to "wait and see".
The two leaders have shared four phone calls since Trump returned to the White House, and the US president has praised Albanese as a good man.
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