New Delhi: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday congratulated newly elected British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over a phone call, the White House said as reported by the news agency PTI.


The two leaders spoke, just after a few hours after Rishi Sunak became Britain’s Prime Minister after Liz Truss resigned after her tenure that lasted 49 days. Biden and Sunak vowed to work together to support Ukraine and stand up to China. Soon after the phone call, Sunak said the US and the UK were the “closest of allies”.   


“The leaders agreed on the importance of working together to support Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for its aggression, address the challenges posed by China, and secure sustainable and affordable energy resources,” PTI quoted the White House as saying in a readout of the call.


The leaders also reaffirmed the special relationship between the US and the United Kingdom, underscoring their desire to further enhance cooperation on issues critical to global security and prosperity, it said. “They discussed their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the need to maintain momentum toward reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol,” it added.


“I look forward to working together with” the US President “to enhance stability across the world and continue our leading role in support of the people of Ukraine,” Sunak tweeted.


(With PTI Inputs)