October 18, 2024
Ukraine questions loom amid fears over Trump
Western backing for Ukraine is expected to be high on the agenda at talks with US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other NATO leader as part of the whirlwind trip.
The White House said Biden and Scholz would “further strengthen the close bond” between Germany and the US and “coordinate on geopolitical priorities, including Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.”
The US president and the chancellor will be joined for talks by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Western allies are nervously eyeing the November 5 US election for a potential return of Donald Trump. The former president has opposed the level of US support for Ukraine.
The visit takes place a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented his “victory plan” to EU leaders and NATO defense chiefs in Brussels.
More than two and a half years into the war, Kyiv is slowly but steadily losing territory in its eastern Donbas region. It is under mounting pressure to forge an exit strategy — which it says must start with ramped-up Western support.
Zelenskyy said as he met with the EU’s 27 leaders on Thursday that Russia would resort to diplomacy only when it sees that it cannot achieve anything by force.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lvrq
October 18, 2024
What’s on Friday’s agenda?
During his flying 24-hour visit, just weeks ahead of the US election, Biden will meet several European leaders to discuss Ukraine and the Middle East.
The 81-year-old was originally supposed to travel to Berlin a week ago but postponed the trip at short notice due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Milton on the southeastern coast of the United States at the time.
Biden is now making up for the cancellation with a scaled-down short working visit instead of the full state visit that had been planned.
He is scheduled to meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday.
Steinmeier is expected to receive Biden with military honors and present him with the highest class of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit — an honor reserved for foreign heads of state.
He will also meet French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for four-way talks on issues including Ukraine and the Middle East.
Biden had been due to attend a world leaders’ summit at the US air base in Ramstein in Germany’s southwestern Rhineland Palatinate state last week to discuss further support for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was also scheduled to join that meeting in person.
This will not happen now, with the White House announcing that the Ukraine summit will be rescheduled for November and will take place via video link.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lvrp
October 18, 2024
Biden lands in Berlin amid news of Sinwar’s death in Gaza
US President Joe Biden has arrived in Germany ahead of talks with European leaders about support for Ukraine’s war against Russia and the Middle East conflict. Air Force One landed late on Thursday evening.
At the Berlin Brandenburg Airport on arrival, Biden spoke to reporters about the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza on Thursday.
He said it presented a chance for a new push for a hostage release and cease-fire agreement.
“Now’s the time to move on,” Biden said. “Move on, move towards a cease-fire in Gaza, make sure that we are moving in a direction that we’re going to be able to make things better for the whole world.”
Biden had also spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his flight on Air Force One.
