US President Joe Biden is expected to visit Germany next week. Photo courtesy: Reuters
US President Joe Biden is expected to visit Germany next week, a government source said on Sunday (October 13, 2024) after a previously planned visit was canceled due to Hurricane Milton.
“He is coming to Berlin on Friday on a one-day visit,” the source said.
Biden will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East expected to top his agenda, according to German media reports.
Mr Biden’s original visit to Germany was to take place between October 10 and 12 and include a four-way summit with Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
After withdrawing from the race in July, he also planned to immediately travel to Angola as part of a series of international trips concluding the final months of his presidency.
Mr Biden also planned to hold a meeting of more than 50 of Ukraine’s allies to discuss more support for Kiev in the fight against Russia’s aggression.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was expected to attend that meeting, but instead he went on a two-day whirlwind tour of European capitals, including Berlin, to ask for continued military assistance as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine runs into its third year. Is.
However, on Tuesday (October 8, 2024) Mr Biden canceled the trip to remain in the US and monitor the response to Hurricane Milton as the storm hit Florida, causing an estimated $50 billion in damage, at least 16 People were killed and gone. Millions of people without electricity.
Traveling abroad as the storm approached could pose serious political risks domestically, just 28 days before the U.S. presidential election.
Republican nominee Donald Trump has spread misinformation about Democratic nominee Mr Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ emergency response on November 5.
according to spiegel According to the magazine, Mr Biden’s travel itinerary next week will be much smaller than original plans, which included an official state visit.
Nevertheless, Steinmeier is still expected to award Mr Biden Germany’s Order of Merit in recognition of his services to German-American friendship.
published – October 13, 2024 08:02 PM IST