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US president Joe Biden told British prime minister Liz Truss he is “looking forward to hearing what’s on your mind” about the row over the Northern Ireland Protocol, as he said the UK remains “our closest ally in the world”.
Ms Truss sought to reassure the US president by telling him in New York that she would be explaining how the Belfast Agreement would be upheld.
The leaders made the remarks as they sat down to talks which would also centre on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the energy crisis it has provoked.
Earlier in the day, Ms Truss also discussed the post-Brexit agreement to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
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The prime minister is pushing ahead with the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill which the EU and other critics say will breach international law by suspending elements of the agreement.
There have also been suggestions she could unilaterally trigger Article 16 of the protocol, to override parts of the agreement brokered as part of the Brexit divorce deal.
In opening marks at the top of their meeting, the US president told Ms Truss: “We are both committed to protecting the Good Friday Agreement of Northern Ireland.
“And I’m looking forward to hearing what’s on your mind.”
He congratulated her on becoming prime minister, adding: “I look forward to working closely with you. You’re our closest ally in the world and there’s a lot we can continue to do together.”
Ms Truss told the president the UK and the US are “steadfast allies” as she thanked him for his support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
“Of course I’m looking forward to discussing the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and how we make sure that’s upheld into the future,” she added.
Mr Biden said their “full agenda” for the meeting includes Ukraine’s defence against Vladimir Putin’s invasion, China and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“We also want to talk about energy, which understandably is of significant consequence to all of Europe and the United Kingdom in particular,” he added.
Questions, including on the protocol, were posed to them by reporters as they were ushered out of the room for their meeting to begin last night.
Both leaders remained seated and silent, Mr Biden with a straight face and Ms Truss smiling.
After the meeting a senior Biden administration official said Ms Truss had sounded “a constructive note” about her engagement with EU and Irish leaders about the protocol.
“She, I think, sounded a constructive note about her engagements with both the European Union and the Republic of Ireland, and now we have to see where things go,” they said. “This was not a set to or a digging in.”