Biden and Sunak meet amid a turning point in the Russia-Ukraine war

When United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited the White House on Thursday, he hoped a shared perspective on Ukraine and a new push for economic partnership could reinforce what has been a steady, if rather business-like, working relationship.

For President Joe Biden and his team, a relatively low-key prime minister whose term has outlasted a wilting head of lettuce - unlike his predecessor's - is reason enough for celebration.

"There is no issue of global importance, none, that our nations are not leading together and where we're not sharing our common values to make things better," Biden said at the start of a news conference, during which the leaders unveiled a new economic partnership that stopped short of a free trade agreement.

Stability in 10 Downing Street has allowed for better coordination on Ukraine, according to officials, and helped resolve a festering dispute over Northern Ireland trade rules. Sunak's pragmatic approach in some ways mirrors Biden's, even if they hold opposing ideological outlooks.

That made Thursday's meeting in the Oval Office - Sunak's first since taking office - a key moment for the men as they look to deepen their relationship.

As the meeting got underway, Biden thanked Sunak for his partnership on Ukraine, and hailed the relationship between their two countries.

"You know Prime Minister Churchill and Roosevelt met here a little over 70 years ago and they asserted that the strength of the partnership between Great Britain and the United States was strength of the free world. I still think there's truth to that assertion," Biden said.