American troops take control of the Kabul airport. (Photo: The Guardian)

US President Joe Biden has turned down a proposal by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to extend the August 31 deadline for completing evacuations from Afghanistan.

At an online meeting of the G7 on Tuesday, President Biden said the sooner they finish the better, because each day of operations brings added risk to the troops and people of Afghanistan. The airlift of 6,000 American troops, who have taken full control of the Kabul airport, means that evacuation of the US’s Western allies will be put on hold.

President Biden has been harshly criticized for rejecting the extension proposed by British politicians, who are saying the US-UK relationship has plunged to the lowest point since the Suez Crisis in 1956 shattered their special relationship.

In an effort to calm tensions, Prime Minister Johnson said the G7 nations have reached a consensus on a joint action plan and have asked the Taliban to ensure security for their withdrawal.

Prime Minister Johnson said, "We have got together the leading Western powers and agreed not just a joint approach to dealing with the evacuation, but also a road map for the way in which we’re going to engage with the Taliban, as it probably will be a Taliban government in Kabul."

He went on to say, "The number one condition we’re setting as G7 is that they have got to guarantee, right the way through August 31 and beyond, safe passage for those who want to come out."

G7 leaders also discussed how to respond to the Taliban. They agreed to disburse Afghanistan's frozen assets abroad only if the Taliban respects certain commitments, including not harboring terrorist forces, ending drug trafficking, and ensuring human rights such as allowing girls access to education until they reach the age of 18.