Joe Biden arrived in Berlin today‚ for talks with European allies about the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The visit comes just weeks before the US presidential election‚ with polls showing a close race.
The meetings focus on strengthening long-term support for Ukraine in its war against Russia‚ which began roughly two-and-a-half years ago. Theres also discussions about the situation in Gaza‚ following Hamas attack on Israel about a year ago.
White House adviser Jake Sullivan stated that Biden isnt trying to “Trump-proof“ foreign policy. However‚ he emphasized the presidents goal to make US commitment to Ukraine “sustainable and institutionalized for the long term.“ Sullivan noted that other allies agree this is the responsible approach.
Bidens schedule includes:
- Meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
- Receiving Germanys Order of Merit
- Talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
- Discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
The president and Scholz plan to cover a range of topics including: next steps in Ukraine‚ developments in Israel and Gaza‚ Lebanon Iran‚ China‚ industrial strategies AI‚ and renewable energy.
America is back But he recalls their skeptical response: “We see America is back but for how long? But for how long?“
This trip marks Bidens first visit to Berlin during his presidency‚ which began almost four years ago. He has previously visited other key allies such as Japan‚ South Korea France‚ India‚ the UK‚ Poland‚ and Ukraine
Despite the focus on democratic values‚ theres no planned news conference for the president to answer reporters questions. Sullivan dismissed criticism of this decision‚ calling it “ludicrous“ to suggest it reflects poorly on Bidens commitment to democracy