Biden, German chancellor present united front amid tensions with Russia
ABC News
President Joe Biden welcomed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the White House Monday at a critical time for the leaders as tensions with Russia persist.
President Joe Biden welcomed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to the White House Monday at a critical time for the leaders as tensions with Russia persist over Ukraine.
During brief remarks in the Oval Office ahead of a joint press conference, Biden said the two countries are "working in lockstep to further deter Russian aggression in Europe and address the challenges opposed by China and promote stability in the Western Balkans," as military forces buildup along the Ukraine border.
Monday marks Scholz's first visit to the White House, and Biden said it provided a good chance to "get to know you more personally."
While the Biden administration has warned for weeks that Russia will face "severe" consequences if it invades Ukraine, Germany had often opted for a softer response, refusing to send military equipment to Ukraine or deploy more troops to the eastern flank. Germany had also shown reluctance to shut down Nord Stream 2, a Russian natural gas pipeline, not yet operational, that would carry gas directly to Germany, bypassing Ukraine.