(Reuters) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will meet U.S. President Joe Biden on Feb. 7 at the White House, with the 2 leaders anticipated to focus on ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine amongst different matters, the White House stated on Thursday.
“They may even focus on the significance of continued shut cooperation on a variety of frequent challenges, together with ending the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the specter of local weather change, and selling financial prosperity and worldwide safety,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated.
Last week, a German authorities spokesperson denied a media report that Scholz, who grew to become chancellor final month, changing longtime chief Angela Merkel, had refused an invite to focus on the Ukraine disaster that got here at quick discover from Biden.
Biden spoke with Scholz final month to congratulate him on his appointment and the 2 leaders mentioned points together with efforts to deal with Russia’s army buildup close to Ukraine.
Russia has massed troops close to Ukraine’s border however says it doesn’t plan to invade its neighbour. The United States has spent weeks making an attempt to construct settlement with European companions on a robust sanctions bundle if Russia assaults.
The U.S. State Department stated on Wednesday the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany won’t transfer ahead if Russia invades Ukraine.
Europe’s most divisive power mission, Nord Stream 2 is designed to double the quantity of gasoline flowing from Russia straight to Germany, bypassing conventional transit nation Ukraine, on the mattress of the Baltic Sea.
It has confronted resistance from the United States and from inside the European Union on the grounds it will increase Europe’s power dependence on Russia and denies Ukraine transit charges, at a time of Moscow’s broader standoff with the West.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
