Biden and Merkel to discuss Afghanistan, cybersecurity and Nord Stream pipeline this week – By Amanda Macias (CNBC) / July 11 2021
- President Joe Biden will host German Chancellor Angela Merkel next week at the White House.
- The two leaders are expected to share their concerns on the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, the steady drumbeat of cyberattacks and long-standing trade issues.
- Merkel’s July 15 visit to the White House marks the third time a foreign leader has met with Biden in Washington since he became president.
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is slated to discuss an array of pressing issues with German Chancellor Angela Merkel next week, in what may be her last trip to Washington after nearly 16 years at the helm of Europe’s largest economy.
The two leaders are expected to share their concerns on the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, the steady drumbeat of cyberattacks, ending the Covid-19 pandemic, long-standing trade issues and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
“From the German perspective, this will be a working visit,” a senior German government official explained, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss details of the chancellor’s trip to Washington.
“Obviously, over the past years, we had a number of fits and starts in the bilateral relationship. The entire focus was on issues where we disagreed,” the official said, adding that sometimes “allies were seen as foes.”
CONTINUE > https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/11/biden-merkel-meeting-afghanistan-cybersecurity-nord-stream-.html
