US President Joe Biden received Prime Minister Robert Golob for a bilateral meeting at the White House on 22 October, thanking him again for Slovenia's cooperation in a major prisoner swap between Russia and the West last summer. They also discussed the Middle East and potential Westinghouse cooperation in Slovenia's planned new nuclear unit, among a range of other topics.

"20 years ago, when I was a US senator, I pushed very hard for your country's admission to NATO. Because I knew then what I know now. We are stronger and safer when we stand together with good partners like you," Biden said as the meeting started.

"We see it in support for the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia's brutal aggression, and we see it in our work to support democracy and prosperity across the Western Balkans," he said of Slovenia's support.

Biden noted Slovenia's contribution in securing the release of 16 people from Russia last summer, saying it was Golob's leadership and partnership that made it possible. "And that's not a hyperbole."

Testament to trust

As the meeting in the Oval Office started, Golob too noted the importance of cooperation with the US in the context of the prisoner exchange.

"With little help of true friends, nothing is impossible," Golob said, adding that this is what the joint effort with the prisoner swap demonstrated to all of the world.

"Let's continue to work in true friendship and with a lot of trust," he added before being officially welcomed to the White House by Biden.

The Slovenian government posted on X after the meeting that Golob thanked Biden for "his friendship and the trust he always shows towards Slovenia", expressing the belief that "our cooperation will be even better in the future because of this".

He said the visit was a testament to the trust and friendship between him and Biden and between the two countries during the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. "Our accomplishment is proof that nothing is impossible," Golob was quoted as saying by the government's profile on X.

According to Golob, the visit was also an excellent opportunity not only for a sincere discussion on the most pressing global issues, but also for deepening the excellent cooperation between Slovenia and the US.

Different views on the Middle East

Talking to Slovenian correspondents after the meeting, Golob described the meeting as long and candid. "We did not see eye to eye on everything, but allies and friends need to share what they think," he said, adding that Biden was well informed about Slovenia's positions.

"He understands that we have a different view, above all about the Middle East, so we mostly talked about this when we were alone," Golob said in reference to the American support for Israel and Slovenia's for Palestine.

They shared the view, however, that everything must be done for a ceasefire to be reached in the Middle East, for hostages to be release and humanitarian aid delivered.

The realisation has matured that the Jordanian plan for Gaza is the most realistic, said Golob. "The path to peace will be very long and arduous, and, I'm afraid that there will be many more innocent victims."

Cooperation in nuclear energy

Biden and Golob also talked about cooperation in nuclear energy, above all about cooperation with the US company Westinghouse as Slovenia plans to build a new nuclear unit at the Krško power station, which was built by Westinghouse in the 1970s and 1980s.

"We have not yet reached the point to be choosing contractors. Initial talks have been launched, we have very good experience with a reactor built by this company. I believe the reactor is functioning exemplary, which makes Westinghouse one of the most serious bidders, but certainly not the only one."

Asked whether they had discussed the effect of US election on trans-Atlantic relations, Golob said that the world will have to live with whoever wins the election. "We did not speak much about this."

"We all wish for Ukraine peace efforts, but for now there is not real headway and I believe that the entire international community is waiting for the election result." Biden also thanked Slovenia for its aid to Ukraine.

High tech and innovation

Golob said that he had a fruitful meeting with Biden, commending Slovenia's Ambassador US Iztok Mirošič for his role in preparing "the terrain not only for international but also for bilateral topics," including high technologies, space research and quantum computers as most promising fields.

"Slovenia is known as one of the most credible partners in high technologies both in Europe and across the pond, and our companies are very successful in the US."

Mirošič also hosted a dinner for Golob featuring representatives of Washington think tanks.

While in Washington, Golob tried to meet both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, sources in his cabinet have said. Both expressed the wish to meet, however, it was impossible to schedule the meetings on a short notice.

Golob is Slovenia's third prime minister to be received for a bilateral visit at the White House. The late Janez Drnovšek was hosted by Bill Clinton in 1998 and George W. Bush in 2002, while Janez Janša met George W. Bush in 2006.

The last Slovenian prime minister to visit the White House was Borut Pahor in 2011. He met with Biden, then the vice-president to Barack Obama.