President Joe Biden is set to travel to Germany on Thursday and has plans to visit Angola during the first week of December. These trips were initially postponed so that he could remain in Washington to oversee the federal response to Hurricane Milton, which impacted Florida.
Originally, Biden’s schedule featured a meeting with ally nations regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine at an American military base in Germany, followed by the trip to Angola. However, this visit to Germany is expected to be brief. According to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden will hold a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, even though they will not meet face-to-face during this European visit.
Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have also engaged in discussions via phone about the importance of continuing their countries’ cooperation on geopolitical issues, including supporting Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression. Jean-Pierre emphasized the significance of this trip for Biden, especially in light of Germany’s assistance in a complex hostage exchange deal with Russia, stating, “The president really wanted to make sure to go to Germany to thank Chancellor Scholz directly.”
In Europe, there is growing concern regarding the implications of next month’s U.S. presidential election for Ukraine. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, has consistently aligned with Biden in advocating for sustained economic and military aid for Ukraine. On the contrary, Republican candidate Donald Trump has indicated that he would prioritize ending the conflict with Russia quickly should he return to the presidency.
Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance from Ohio, has proposed a strategy that includes creating a “demilitarized zone” in Ukraine and suggests that Ukraine would not pursue reclaiming territories currently controlled by Russia, nor would it join NATO.
Chancellor Scholz has emerged as one of Biden’s most significant allies on the global stage. Alongside his strong stance supporting Ukraine, he played a crucial role in facilitating the release of several individuals from Russian imprisonment, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and corporate security executive Paul Whelan, through a multinational prisoner swap.
This prisoner exchange was noted as one of the most extensive since the end of the Soviet Union, with Scholz agreeing to the release of Vadim Krasikov, a Russian found guilty of the 2019 murder of a Georgian national who had sought asylum in Germany after fighting Russian forces in Chechnya. Joe Biden has not made an official visit to Africa since assuming the presidency in early 2021.