Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists that Australia is an important partner to the US, as he faces growing pressure to lock down an in-person meeting with Donald Trump.

Since Albanese’s first planned face-to-face with the US President was upended last month by events in the Middle East, he has spent weeks being grilled over their next possible meeting.

Some have speculated that Trump has yet to meet Albanese because Australia is relatively insignificant, globally, compared to other US trading partners.

But Albanese disagrees.

“Australia always pulls our weight,” he told Sky News on Tuesday.

“We’re significant players in delivering peace and security in our region, we’re also a significant economy, providing goods and services to the world and making a difference.”

“I think viewers, watchers and readers of some of the media would think that Australia is this little country that doesn’t contribute anything to this relationship – we do,” he also told Seven’s Sunrise program

The two leaders were expected to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in mid-June. However, Trump left the Canada event the night before their scheduled chat to deal with escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.

Albanese wasn’t the only world leader he stood up. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum had also been due to meet Trump for the first time that same day, while scheduled talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also put on ice.

Albanese said he understood Trump’s decision to leave, which eventually led to a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and noted there would be plenty more opportunities to meet as the global summit season looms.

The G20 leaders meeting in November, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in June and the Quad meeting – due some time this year – all offer a second chance for the two to get together. Albanese could also visit the US in September for the United Nations General Assembly.

Some observers also raised concerns that critical comments previously made by US ambassador Kevin Rudd could hurt negotiations as Australia tries to broker an exemption from America’s 50 per cent tariffs on Australian steel and aluminium imports and 10 per cent levies on other goods.

But Albanese noted that US Vice-President JD Vance, who had also previously made strong comments about Trump, was now his second in command.

“We have a former prime minister in Kevin Rudd as our ambassador – that says a lot about the priority we place in the relationship with the United States,” he said.

“I’ve been respectful of the President and I must say that he’s been respectful of me as well.”

Albanese has spoken with Trump by phone at least three times, including a call during which Trump congratulated him on his thumping re-election.

-AAP