On Wednesday, President Joe Biden is heading towards Europe. He is on a mission to continue uniting NATO allies as well as European partners against Russia, who continues with its invasion of Ukraine. The fighting has been on going for almost a month and the U.S. President is meeting with allies to find a way to end the conflict.
There is pressure to add announcements of new sanctions against Russia and to increase humanitarian assistance for refugees fleeing Ukraine. Additionally military support for Ukraine, whose army had been bravely fighting back, is also expected to be a matter that will be discussed.
Biden will spend most of Wednesday traveling to the Belgian capital and will attend a summit in Brussels. The extraordinary summit will be attended by all the 30 NATO leaders. The White House said that Biden is expected to “reaffirm” the nation’s “ironclad commitment to our NATO allies.”
Biden is also expected to attend a meeting with the European Council. This pre-scheduled meeting will see him interacting with the European Union’s (EU) political body. He is also expected to meet the Group of Seven (G-7). The G-7 consists of major industrial countries in the world.
Ukrainian leader Zelensky has often used both emotion and blunt words to get increased support for his country. Some of his demands have been impractical from a world wide view, though it would support his national view. He has named and shamed private corporations to stop their commercial activities in Russia.
U.S. national security adviser, Jake Sullivan briefly touched on President Biden’s announcements and agenda. It might include the following:
A new package of sanctions
Tightening the current sanctions to avoid evasion
Robust enforcement of sanctions.
The national adviser said that Biden would discuss “longer-term adjustments” on the position of NATO on the eastern side on countries that border Russia. Some of these countries are Poland and Estonia as well as Latvia and Lithuania. He also said there would be joint action on decreasing the EU’s dependence on Russian gas and improving its energy security.
(Photo: President Biden Facebook)
