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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing global energy crisis have emerged as a leading foreign policy priorities for Britain’s new prime minister Liz Truss, as she and her US counterpart Joe Biden promised to strengthen their relationship in face of Vladimir Putin’s aggression.
Truss’s call to Biden on Tuesday night followed a conversation with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and focused on what she called “the extreme economic problems caused by Putin’s war”. Biden and Truss “reinforced their commitment to strengthening global liberty, tackling the risks posed by autocracies and ensuring Putin fails in Ukraine”, according to Downing Street.
No 10 noted the “enduring strength of the special relationship” with the US, something that appeared at times strained during the reign of her predecessor Boris Johnson.
The leaders also committed to deepening alliances through Nato and the Aukus defence pact, established to counter China’s dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.
The White House said the leaders discussed close cooperation to help Ukraine “defend itself against Russian aggression”, as well as the challenges posed by China, Iran’s ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons, securing sustainable and affordable energy and the need to protect the Good Friday Agreement.
