Biden’s journey centers on the war in Ukraine. He will talk about the expansion of the NATO alliance and the recent US approval of the supply of cluster bombs to Ukraine. According to his adviser Jake Sullivan, Biden’s trip should “demonstrate his leadership on the global stage”.
United Kingdom
Tonight Biden lands in the United Kingdom, where many meetings are scheduled for tomorrow. Prime Minister Sunak has maintained close ties with Biden since his appointment. According to him, the United States is “Europe’s greatest ally” and “the most important partner in trade, defense and diplomacy”.
After the visit to the UK, Biden will travel to Vilnius, where the annual NATO summit will be held. There he attends meetings with leaders and gives a speech at Vilnius University.
Cluster bombs
On Friday, he defended what he called “a difficult decision”: the supply of cluster bombs to Ukraine, a move his government said was crucial to the fight in Ukraine. That country has promised to use bombs with caution. Biden will face questions about supplying the weapon, which is banned by more than two-thirds of NATO members due to the high risk of civilian casualties.
Finally, Biden will visit the Finnish capital Helsinki, where he will be present at a summit of the Nordic countries. It is Biden’s first visit to Finland since he joined NATO in April. Biden will also talk about Sweden’s possible accession to NATO, delayed by the attitude of Turkey and Hungary.