UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologised for leaving the D-Day commemorations in France early, saying that "it was a mistake not to stay longer".
Global leaders gathered at the event to honour the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of France, the D-Day generation on Thursday. The event was to honour the heroes and future generations of the Normandy landings.
Sunak had left after attending the British event, leaving behind Foreign Secretary David Cameron to be beside French President Emmanuel Macron and US' Joe Biden.
In a post on X, Sunak said, "I care deeply about veterans and have been honoured to represent the UK at a number of events in Portsmouth and France over the past two days and to meet those who fought so bravely."
"After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise," Sunak wrote.
Sunak was cited as saying by reporters that his itinerary for the D-Day events had been set "weeks ago".
The D-Day celebrations ceremony, which was held at the newly completed British Normandy Memorial, was attended by PM Sunak and King Charles III, however the former left before the commemoration on the Omaha Beach.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron appreciated Sunak's gesture to admit his mistake and apologise for the same.
"It is a credit to him that he has been so frank about it," BBC quoted Cameron as saying.
He said that PM Sunak choosing to be reflective instead of defending himself is a "tribute to the way he is".
The Foreign Secretary said, "to be fair", the Prime Minister was at the Portsmouth veterans event and Normandy's British veterans event, reiterating that he had a longstanding plan to return to the United Kingdom.
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer also sided with Cameron's opinion that it was right for PM Sunak to apologise.
He said the veterans will quite raw, adding that it was "crushing" for him personally, but he will stand by Sunak.
"I think he’s done the right thing to apologise - it is a mistake, it shouldn’t have happened. Obviously people will want to turn this into a political issue and jump all over him. I’m not going to join that crowd," Mercer said.
On the contrary, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had stayed back until the end of the event and said that Sunak returned for his TV interview.
"In choosing to prioritise his own vanity TV appearances over our veterans, Rishi Sunak has shown what is most important to him," Labour's Jonathan Ashworth was quoted as saying.
Sir Keir, on the other hand, said that it was important for him to pay respects to the veterans and say thank you to them. "Rishi Sunak will have to answer for his own actions. For me, there was nowhere was going to be," BBC quoted Sir Keir.
Meanwhile, at the celebrations, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the nation "will never forget" the veterans' battle to liberate Europe from the Nazis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also attended the D-Day events and said that it served as a "reminder of the courage and determination demonstrated in the pursuit of freedom and democracy".
