CARBIS BAY, (United Kingdom): British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday insisted there was "common ground" among the UK, EU and United States on protecting the peace in Northern Ireland as tensions simmer after Brexit.

Following his first face-to-face talks with US President Joe Biden on the eve of a G7 summit, Johnson said all sides agreed to "make sure we keep the balance of the peace process going and... I'm optimistic that we can do that".

The two leaders adopted a new "Atlantic Charter", modelled on a declaration by their World War II predecessors, vowing concerted action on pandemic recovery, global security and climate change.

After the chaos of Donald Trump's presidency, Johnson said his 90-minute conversation with Biden was "a breath of fresh air".

The two leaders agreed on a new joint taskforce to examine how to resume travel between Britain and the United States, following successful coronavirus vaccination campaigns in both countries.

And they pledged to work on "expanding trade and progression towards a future UK-US free trade agreement", according to Downing Street. Biden has warned that any UK backpedalling on its post-Brexit commitments to the EU over Northern Ireland could imperil the US trade negotiation.