U.S. President Biden expected to visit Germany on October 18: government source

According to German media reports Biden will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East expected to be high on his agenda

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to visit Germany next week, a government source said Sunday (October 13, 2024), after a previously planned trip was cancelled due to Hurricane Milton.

“He’s coming to Berlin on Friday” for a one-day visit, the source said.

According to German media reports Biden will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East expected to be high on his agenda.

Mr. Biden’s original visit to Germany was to have taken place between October 10 and 12 and to have included a four-way summit with Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

He had also planned to travel to Angola immediately afterwards as part of a series of valedictory international trips in the final months of his presidency, after he withdrew from the race in July.

Mr. Biden had also planned to hold a meeting of more than 50 of Ukraine’s allies to discuss further support for Kyiv in its fight against Russia’s invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had been expected to attend that meeting but instead went on a whirlwind two-day tour of European capitals, including Berlin, to ask for sustained military aid as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds on through its third year.

However, on Tuesday (October 8, 2024) Mr. Biden called off the visit to stay in the U.S. and oversee the response to Hurricane Milton as it slammed into Florida, causing an estimated $50 billion in damage, killing at least 16 people and leaving millions without power.

Travelling abroad as the hurricane approached would have posed severe political risks at home just 28 days before a tight U.S. Presidential election.

Republican candidate Donald Trump has spread misinformation about the emergency response by Mr. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee on November 5.

According to Spiegel magazine, the programme for Mr. Biden’s visit next week will be much reduced from the original plans, which had included an official state visit.

Nevertheless, Steinmeier is still expected to present Mr. Biden with Germany’s Order of Merit in recognition of his services towards German-American friendship.

Published - October 13, 2024 08:02 pm IST