Boris Johnson and Joe Biden cement ‘Special Relationship’ by bonding over jokes on video call for virtual G7 Summit

BORIS Johnson and Joe Biden cemented the Special Relationship last night when they met by video-link for the first time as the PM hosted a virtual G7 summit.

He joked with the US President over shared campaign slogans and hailed America’s return to the Paris Climate Change Agreement.


?
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

 


Boris Johnson and Joe Biden cement ‘Special Relationship’ by bonding over jokes on video call for virtual G7 Summit
PM Boris Johnson and President Joe Biden met by video-link for the first time
Boris Johnson and Joe Biden cement ‘Special Relationship’ by bonding over jokes on video call for virtual G7 Summit
Boris joked with the US President over shared campaign slogans and hailed America’s return to the Paris Climate Change Agreement

Mr Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump had previously quit the agreement.

The PM started by asking German Chancellor Angela Merkel to switch off her mic when she accidentally talked over his initial greeting.

He joked: “Can you hear us Angela? I think you need to mute!”

Later, Mr Biden laughed when Mr Johnson said of the President’s “building back better” Covid recovery slogan: “I think he may have nicked it from us but I certainly nicked it from somewhere else — probably some UN disaster relief programme.”


Boris Johnson and Joe Biden cement ‘Special Relationship’ by bonding over jokes on video call for virtual G7 Summit
The PM started by asking German Chancellor Angela Merkel to switch off her mic when she accidentally talked over his initial greeting

Mr Johnson and Mr Biden got the global leaders to pay more to international vaccine alliance COVAX.

The PM told them: “We’ve got to make sure the whole world is vaccinated because this is a global pandemic and it’s no use one country being far ahead.”

The EU pledged £430million, the UK £500million and the US £2.8billion, helping the G7 total to £5.3billion.