Biden and Sunak Tout New 'Atlantic Declaration,' Promise Ukraine Support

President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Thursday a new economic agreement between the two nations and vowed to continue supporting Ukraine during their first joint appearance at the White House since the U.K. leader took office.

The agreement, called the "Atlantic Declaration," will strengthen economic ties between the two longtime allies across a number of industries, including the defense, health care and energy sectors, while boosting investment in technology and other areas.

Sunak framed the accord as a symbol of the renewed partnership between Britain and the U.S. following a turbulent decade punctuated by Britain's exit from the European Union, arguing that a strong relationship between the two nations was critical for global stability.

"Judge us by our actions" after the Brexit deal, Sunak said. The United Kingdom remains "as attractive an investment destination as ever" for partners like the United States, he added.

Biden, appearing with Sunak at a joint press conference, called Britain a key ally of the U.S.

"There's no issue of global importance, none, that our nations are not leading together," Biden said.

The president said the Atlantic Declaration's focus on research and investment in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence would help both countries adapt to changes in the global economy. The deal will help the U.S. and UK "remain at the cutting edge of a rapidly changing world," Biden said.

Biden also praised Sunak for his nation's support of Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in February, 2022. The United Kingdom has provided more military aid to Ukraine than any other country besides the United States, Sunak said.

The British leader also issued a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the Western coalition backing Ukraine would not waiver.

"There's no point in trying to wait us out. We're not going anywhere. We'll be here as long as it takes," Sunak said.

Earlier this year Sunak joined leaders in Europe in pushing the United States to allow allies to send American-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The Biden administration had hesitated for months to take the step, citing concerns that it could escalate tensions with Moscow.

But Biden changed course last month and announced at the Group of Seven (G7) nations summit that the U.S. would allow allies to send F-16s to Ukraine. Britain does not have any F-16s, but Sunak said at the G7 Summit that the U.K. would help provide training to Ukraine to fly the fighter jets.

Biden and Sunak have met several times since Sunak took office last year. The leaders met for a defense summit in San Diego in March, during Biden's trip in April to Northern Ireland, and at the G7 Summit in Japan.

But the meeting Thursday was Sunak's first visit to the White House since becoming prime minister, and it comes at a critical point in the war, as Ukraine appears to have launched a long-awaited counteroffensive.

Ukraine is making a major push to take back Russian-controlled territory in the east and south, in an effort to cut Moscow's land bridge from Russia to Crimea. Kyiv is under pressure to show results in the counteroffensive in order to convince Western allies to keep military aid flowing to Ukraine.

"We're very optimistic" about the "evolving situation" in Ukraine, Biden said at the press conference Thursday, in what appeared to be a reference to the counteroffensive.

The president also said he did not expect to encounter opposition in Congress to provide more military aid to Ukraine. The current tranche of funding is expected to run out later this year, setting up a debate in the fall about approving a new aid package.

"I believe we'll have the funding necessary to support Ukraine as long as it takes," Biden said.

Biden's greenlight to U.S. allies to send F-16s to Ukraine represented the latest significant increase in military aid to Ukraine. But it will take months for more powerful weapon systems to be delivered to Ukraine.

The U.S. has pledged to send dozens of battle tanks to Ukraine, but they are not expected to arrive until the fall, while F-16s aren't expected until the end of the year at the earliest.