Boris Johnson pressures Joe Biden for new trade deal

Washington – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made it clear to President Joe Biden on Saturday that he is ready to forge a new trade deal between the United States and Britain.

Pressure for a new agreement arose during a telephone conversation between the two rulers in which various issues were discussed, including the global response to the coronavirus pandemic and the announcement made this week by the Biden government that the United States it would rejoin the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a Downing Street statement.

A new trade treaty between the Allies is a higher priority for Johnson than for Biden. Britain regained control of its national trade policy earlier this month after the end of the post-Brexit transition period.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that Washington does not have a deadline to finalize a new trade deal as Biden is more focused on controlling the coronavirus pandemic and urging Congress to approve a plan to $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 assistance.

Janett Yellen, whom Biden proposed as Secretary of the Treasury, also noted at her confirmation hearing earlier this week that the U.S. president was not anxious to negotiate new trade pacts.

“President Biden has made it clear that he will not sign any new trade agreement until the United States makes significant investments in American locksmiths and our infrastructure,” Yellen said.

Downing Street noted Saturday that Biden and Johnson discussed “the benefits of a possible free trade agreement between our two countries” and the British Prime Minister “reiterated his intention to resolve the current trade disputes as soon as possible.”

The White House said in a statement that the two rulers talked about combating climate change, containing COVID-19 and ensuring global health security, as well as about shared foreign policy priorities with regard to climate change. China, Iran and Russia. However, he stressed that the statement did not address discussions on trade.

The phone call with Johnson was at least Biden’s third with a foreign ruler since Friday. On Friday afternoon, the president spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.