Biden and Sunak concur in their initial demand to support Ukraine

• The call was the first between the two since Sunak became Britain’s third prime minister this year.
• They discussed Ukraine, China and their countries’ special connection.
• They concurred on the need to face the challenges posed by China.

In their first phone discussion after Sunak became Britain’s third prime minister this year, US President Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak, the country’s new leader, vowed to cooperate to assist Ukraine and confront China, the White House said in a statement.

According to the White House’s read-out of the call on Tuesday, the two leaders reiterated the “special connection” that exists between their nations and pledged to cooperate to enhance world security and prosperity.

According to the statement, “the leaders recognized the value of working together to assist Ukraine and hold Russia responsible for its aggression.”

In addition, Biden and Sunak concurred on the need to “face the challenges posed by China,” which Washington regards as its principal geopolitical and economic foe globally.

The two “addressed the scope of UK-US collaboration, both bilaterally and in regions like the Indo-Pacific,” as well as the more difficult matter of Northern Ireland,” according to Downing Street’s official read-out of the discussion.

In a tweet earlier on Tuesday, Biden congratulated Sunak. He called the election of Britain’s first non-white prime minister “quite remarkable, a historic milestone” on Monday.

After Liz Truss resigned from office after six weeks, Sunak, the eldest son of a doctor and a pharmacist of Indian heritage, inherited an economic crisis.

On Tuesday, he spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time and promised Ukraine the UK’s “steadfast support.”

The Ukrainian military is being armed and supported by Britain, a crucial European partner of the United States, as it attempts to fend off the Russian invasion that started in February.

The UK’s support for the war-torn nation had been verbally pledged by both his predecessors, Boris Johnson and Truss, and the incoming prime minister vowed on Tuesday night that it will remain “as robust as ever” under his leadership.

Zelenskyy had already written him congratulations, and Sunak tweeted: “Both he and the Ukrainian people can count on the UK’s ongoing sympathy and support.” Zelenskyy called it a “pleasure” to speak with him. We will consistently support Ukraine.

In a tweet, Zelenskyy described it as a “great conversation” in which they decided to “create a new chapter” in their nations’ relations.

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