Biden and Boris Johnson talk about the climate alliance, Covid

“It’s great to talk to President @Joe Biden this evening,” Johnson wrote in a tweet Earlier on Saturday. “I look forward to deepening the long-standing alliance between our two countries while we lead the green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19.”

Johnson’s office said in a statement of the call that Johnson congratulated Biden on his inauguration and praised Biden’s decision to re-enter the Paris climate agreement and the COVAX program to expand access to the vaccine and the World Health Organization.

“They also discussed the benefits of a possible free deal between our two countries, and our prime minister reiterated his intention to resolve existing trade issues as soon as possible,” Johnson’s office said in the statement. “Building on the UK and US’s long history of cooperation in the security and defense arena, leaders have reconfigured the NATO alliance and our shared values ​​of promoting human rights and protecting democracy.”

Johnson, a conservative populist and staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, sought to distance their relationship after Biden’s victory in the presidential election, as Johnson released a statement condemning Trump’s actions amid the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. .

Brexit with support from Johnson change The long-standing “special relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom

Charles Copchan, who held the position of senior European affairs official in the National Security Council in the Obama and Clinton administrations, “When I wanted to get something done with Europe, I made the first or maybe second call to London.” Previously told Politico.

In 2021, “you are still calling London, but this call will be less on the waiting list. Britain does not have a seat at the table anymore”, due to Brexit.

“Biden seeks to strengthen and renew relations with the European Union, and Britain will not be part of that,” said a person familiar with Biden’s thinking. Previously told Politico.

Trump and former British Prime Minister Theresa May have been known to have a difficult relationship. He had recently said She said she “never knew what to expect” from Trump, who was also a frequent critic of the European Union bloc ahead of the UK’s final exit on January 31.

Trump abruptly canceled Planned trip to London with May in January 2018. When he first visited May, he was Very critical May in an interview with the tabloid published during the trip. Johnson succeeded May as Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister in July 2019.

On Friday, Biden spoke with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The calls come as Biden tries to begin his quest to “restore dignified leadership at home and respectable leadership on the world stage” after Trump’s approach to America first to international relations.