Biden on European diplomatic tour July 9-13
The American president will go to London, to the NATO summit in Lithuania, then to Finland.
PostedJuly 2, 2023, 4:52 PM
US President Joe Biden will make a diplomatic tour of Europe from July 9 to 13, visiting the United Kingdom, the NATO summit in Lithuania and then Finland, the White House announced on Sunday. He will meet King Charles III and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London to “strengthen the close ties” that unite the United Kingdom and the United States, said his spokesperson, Karine Jean-Pierre.
He will then fly to Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, to attend the NATO summit on July 11 and 12, she said in a statement. For the last leg of his trip, in Helsinki, Joe Biden will go to a summit between American and Nordic leaders on July 13.
Finland officially joined NATO in April. The country had applied for membership in February 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, together with Sweden. But Stockholm is still patient. Although “invited” to the Alliance since June 2022, its candidacy, which must be ratified by the 31 member states, is blocked by Turkey and Hungary.
Before his trip, the American president will receive Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday at the White House to discuss his country’s accession process.
(AFP)
2023-07-02 14:52:43
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