Johnson, Trump Agree to Work on 'Ambitious' US-UK Trade Deal - Office

LONDON (Sputnik) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Donald Trump have agreed to continue the discussion about a new trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States, according to a statement issued by the prime minister's office.

"They discussed the huge importance of the relationship between the UK and US, and looked forward to continued close cooperation on issues such as security and trade, including the negotiation of an ambitious free trade agreement," the statement read.

According to the statement, the US president also congratulated the UK prime minister with winning the election.

Johnson scored a decisive victory in the December 12 snap general election, promising to do everything to deliver Brexit. President Trump has voiced his support of Johnson ahead of the election on multiple occasions, touting a possible trade agreement with the UK should Johnson win.

On October 17, London and Brussels finally reached a new Brexit deal after protracted negotiations. The new Brexit draft has dropped the controversial Irish backstop that was the main source of concern for opponents of the previous divorce agreement.

The deal, however, was met with strong resistance in the UK parliament, prompting a decision to hold a snap general election on December 12. The UK exit from the bloc is currently scheduled for January 31.