Biden welcomes Scholz for message of unity to Moscow and Beijing

Joe Biden welcomes German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday (March 3) to send a message of unity to Moscow and Beijing after a delicate handoff between the two main supporters in Kiev. This visit is scheduled “reestablish deep bonds of friendship” It is the German leader’s second since February 2022 between the two countries, according to the White House. It comes after a period of tension between Washington and Berlin over difficult discussions over the supply of tanks to Ukraine.

The lack of a joint press conference program has thus raised questions in the German press, even though the American president does not systematically ask questions when receiving a foreign leader. This question has been “Mass Overcommented”assures chancellor’s spokesman Steffen Hebstreit, for whom it is “Short working visit”.. Between Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz, this will include consultations on developments in the Ukraine conflict; “How will the next few months be in Ukraine? What does this mean for the support that allies can provide? in the country, he explained. For him, US-German relations depend on NATO and American military protection “very good” despite the ups and downs since Joe Biden’s rise to power.

Upon reaching the White House, Donald Trump’s successor, for example, openly pressured Berlin to abandon the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project with Moscow. Today, it is the massive subsidies for American green industries under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that are drawing criticism from Berlin and the Europeans. The episode of the tanks also caused tension. Germany finally agreed to send a significant number of its Leopard tanks on January 26, adding a new dimension to military support for Ukraine.

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Add an editorial that you recommend Author Le Figaro with AFP Le Figaro AFPL with Figaro with Reuters Le Figaro Le Figaro with AFP and Reuters in Media Library Search Update Video source Le Figaro Date All + Create slideshow February 25 2023 February 22 2023 What will not change after this meeting is that most routes to Europe for the White House go through Berlin. And for Scholz, all the ways to support Ukraine go through Washington.” Jorn Fleck, Atlantic Council think tank

The United States has also promised heavy armor, a statement that has sparked mixed reactions in recent days. Washington gave the green light for the sole purpose of overcoming German reluctance to send tanks, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday. Joe Biden had it “Initially decided not to send them because his military told him they wouldn’t be useful on the battlefield.”he explained on the ABC TV channel. But faced with German rejection, the American president acted “In the interests of the alliance’s unity and to make sure that Ukraine gets what it wants.”, said Jake Sullivan. An option that the German government does not approve of, ensuring that discussions consist of a “general approach”without Berlin forcing Washington’s hand.

This meeting is between two of the three countries (with the United Kingdom) among the main donors of aid to Ukraine “There needs to be a way to fully implement the procurement of border tanks, an area where greater diplomatic and industrial efforts are still needed.”Jeffrey Rathke, president of the Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, told AFP. “What will not change after this meeting is that most of the routes to Europe for the White House go through Berlin. And that for Scholz, all the ways to support Ukraine go through Washington.comments Jorn Fleck of the Atlantic Council think tank.

“Send a clear and convincing signal to China”.

Another challenge of the meeting is China. Washington will welcome Germany, a major exporting power tied to China, by adopting a stronger stance. The reasons for the tension between Washington and Beijing have multiplied, from the incident of shooting down a Chinese hot air balloon over American territory to restrictions on the use of the TikTok social network. The US has also accused China of considering supplying Russia with weapons to help it attack Ukraine, which Beijing denies.

The fear expressed by Olaf Scholz. “Don’t supply weapons to the Russian aggressor”.He announced from the podium of the Bundestag on Thursday. The meeting of the two leaders thus suggests “A valuable opportunity to send a clear and convincing signal to China”.summarizes Jeffrey Rathke.

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