Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed concerns about the rise of populism and far-right politics ahead of his upcoming meeting with former President Donald Trump. Albanese made these remarks during a brief visit to London, where he met with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and other world leaders.

While in New York earlier this week, Albanese shared a light moment with Trump, taking a selfie together. However, during a press conference in London, he adopted a more serious tone when discussing the emergence of Reform UK, a right-wing populist party led by Nigel Farage, who has a close association with Trump. Despite Reform UK gaining attention in opinion polls, the party secured only five seats in the last general election, which had a total of 650 seats in the House of Commons.

“I don’t want to see the rise of populist organisations such as that,” Albanese stated when asked about Reform UK. He emphasized that political parties and governments should focus on solutions rather than division.

Albanese is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington, D.C., on October 20. Critics of Trump argue that his leadership has fostered division in the U.S. and jeopardized relationships with allies like Australia. Trump’s political style and his supporters, often referred to as MAGA, are rooted in right-wing populism, sharing similar views with Farage, particularly on immigration issues.

On Friday, Albanese noted that Australians are increasingly worried about the rise of far-right elements in various countries. “Our job is to make sure that people continue to have faith in the system,” he said.

After addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Albanese traveled to London, where he participated in a panel discussion at the Global Progressive Action Conference. Alongside Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, the leaders discussed strategies to counter domestic populist movements amid ongoing cost-of-living challenges and rising anti-immigrant sentiments.

The panel did not directly address Trump’s MAGA movement but aimed to show solidarity following Trump’s criticisms of the UK, Australia, and Canada for their recognition of Palestinian statehood, a stance Iceland has held since 2011.

Later in the day, Albanese met with Kemi Badenoch, the leader of Britain’s Conservative opposition, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. He is also set to meet King Charles III at Balmoral Castle on Saturday. During his visit, Albanese reaffirmed his commitment to the AUKUS defense partnership, describing it as beneficial for all three nations involved.