US President Joe Biden (L) reacts as he meets with Britain鈥檚 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast on April 12, 2023, as part of a four day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland for the 25th anniversary commemorations of the 鈥淕ood Friday Agreement鈥�. Paul Faith/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
LONDON 鈥� British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Saturday he wanted to foster a 鈥渃lose and candid relationship鈥� with U.S. President Joe Biden during a visit to Washington next week that comes after some signs of strains in bilateral ties.
Sunak is due to be in the U.S. capital on Wednesday and Thursday for talks with politicians in Congress and business leaders as well as with the president.
鈥淭he U.S. is our closest ally. We are one another鈥檚 partner of first resort when it comes to everything from keeping our people safe to growing our economies,鈥� Sunak said in a statement ahead of his first official visit to Washington as prime minister.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why it is so important for a UK Prime Minister to forge a close and candid relationship with the President of the United States 鈥� on every global problem, you will see us working side-by-side.鈥�
Sunak and Biden are expected to discuss improving economic ties and sustaining military support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. But there will be no talks about a formal free trade deal, Sunak鈥檚 spokesperson said earlier this week.
London wants to forge better relations with the U.S. after they were strained by Britain鈥檚 departure from the European Union in 2020.
In April, a White House official denied Biden was 鈥渁nti-British鈥� after he spent just half a day in the British province of Northern Ireland before traveling to the Irish Republic for two-and-a-half days of meetings.
Downing Street said in Saturday鈥檚 statement that Sunak鈥檚 meeting with Biden would be his fourth in as many months, representing more 鈥渟ustained contact鈥� with a U.S. president than any other prime minister has had in recent years.