President Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed issues such as trade, NATO and the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday in their first phone call since the US leader’s inauguration.
Why it matters: A new trade deal with the US is a priority for Johnson, whose country completed its economic split with the European Union late last year, AP noted.
What they say: Biden “surrendered his resolve to strengthen the special relationship between our countries and revitalize transatlantic ties, underscoring NATO’s critical role in our collective defense and shared values,” said a White House lecture of the call.
- President Biden also stressed the importance of working together, including through multilateral organizations, on shared challenges such as fighting climate change, tackling COVID-19 and ensuring global health protection, ”the lecture said.
A statement from Downing Street said Biden and Johnson also “discussed the benefits of a possible free trade agreement between our two countries, and the prime minister reiterated his intention to resolve existing trade issues as soon as possible”.
- The Prime Minister warmly welcomed the President’s decision to re-accede to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as the World Health Organization and the COVAX program to ensure fair access for vaccines, the statement said.
The big picture: Biden’s conversation with Johnson came a day after the US president spoke in separate phone calls to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican Andrés Manuel López Obrador.