WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden called the choice of Rishi Sunak as Britain’s first non-white prime minister “groundbreaking” Monday and the White House said he’d reach out in the near future to congratulate the new leader.

“It’s pretty astounding, a groundbreaking milestone and it matters,” Biden said at a White House celebration of the Indian Diwali festival.

The White House said that Biden was following protocol by not calling and officially congratulating Sunak, who is of Indian descent, until he meets with King Charles III on Tuesday to get the go-ahead to form a government.

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“President Biden looks forward to speaking with… Sunak in the upcoming days and to our continued close cooperation with the United Kingdom,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.