Washington, D.C. ? British Prime Minister Tony Blair paid a farewell visit Wednesday to President Bush, an opportunity for close allies to showcase their unity on the war in Iraq and hammer out differences on climate change and trade.

Blair arrived at the White House before a private dinner with Bush. The president and his wife, Laura, greeted Blair briefly in front of cameras, but the leaders were not expected to make public comments. After spending the night at the White House, Blair will discuss issues with Bush today, and they will hold a joint news conference.

The trip is also part of Blair’s carefully choreographed farewell after announcing last week that he will step down as prime minister on June 27. The move ends a decade-long premiership that has, in part, been defined by his close relationship with Bush and the United States.

His departure creates some uncertainty in relations between London and Washington. Blair’s likely successor, Gordon Brown, has not made many foreign policy positions clear and is not expected to cultivate a friendship with Bush in the way that Blair has.