US President Joe Biden on Monday said that the country’s ties with Iraq were in a ‘new phase’. After a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi at the White House, Biden also announced an end of US military’s combat operations in the country.

With Kadhemi at his side in the White House, Biden said that the US is “committed to our security cooperation” and will “to continue to train, to assist, to help, to deal with ISIS (Islamic State) as it arises.”

“But we’re not going to be, at the end of the year, in a combat mission,” he said.

Biden also said that the US would lend its support to ensuring fair elections in Iraq later this year. Elections are scheduled to take place in October this year. Biden said that the US was working closely not just with Iraq, but also with the United Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council to ensure that the elections are fair.

Kadhemi, who has been in power for just over a year, said that the US and Iraq have a ‘strategic partnership’.

“America, they help Iraq. Together we fight, fight and defeat ISIS,” he said.

He added that the countries were working together on several fronts and their relation was stronger than eve.

“Today, our relation is stronger than ever — our partnership in the economy, the environment, health, education, culture and more,” Kadhemi said.

Biden is currently also overseeing the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war, with the Taliban on the offensive amid fears they could even topple the Kabul government.

Biden’s comments confirmed his readiness to further limit US involvement in Iraq, but without removing the remaining 2,500 troops in the country, 18 years after the United States invaded to remove strongman Saddam Hussein.