UK premier, US president talk via telephone

LONDON/ANKARA

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a telephone conversation Saturday with new US President Joe Biden and reaffirmed the commitment to common values ​​to promote human rights and protect democracy with the NATO alliance.

“Great to speak to President @JoeBiden this evening. I look forward to deepening the longstanding alliance between our two countries as we drive a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19,” Johnson said on Twitter.

The prime minister’s office said Johnson congratulated Biden on his inauguration and said the two leaders looked forward to “deepening the close alliance” between their nations.

Johnson welcomed Biden’s decision to rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change, it said.

They also discussed the benefits of a possible free trade agreement between the two countries.

Biden was officially sworn in Wednesday as the 46th president of the US as well as Kamala Harris as vice president.