Biden to attend G-7, NATO meetings in Europe at end of June

President Biden plans to travel to Europe to attend the Group of Seven (G-7) leaders’ summit and a NATO gathering later this month, the White House announced Wednesday.  

Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has entered its fourth month, is likely to figure high on the agenda for both meetings.  

“The President and G7 leaders will discuss a range of the most pressing global issues, including the G7’s unwavering support for a democratic, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine, economic and democratic resilience, tackling the climate crisis, development infrastructure, global health security, and the food and energy crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.  

The G-7 summit is set to take place at Schloss Elmau in southern Germany. The group includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom in addition to the United States. Biden will later journey to Madrid for the NATO meeting.  

“Allied leaders will endorse a new Strategic Concept to guide NATO’s transformation over the next decade, from strengthening deterrence and defense, to building resilience against transnational threats including cyber and climate, to deepening partnerships with democratic partners in Europe and Asia in order to strengthen the rules-based international order,” Jean-Pierre said.  

Biden was expected to attend the meetings later this month, but Wednesday’s announcement made his plans official.

The visit will be Biden’s fourth to Europe since taking office last year. He last visited Brussels and Warsaw in late March for meetings addressing the conflict in Ukraine.

The White House is also weighing a trip to the Middle East that might include stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia, though it has not been finalized yet.

Updated at 9:20 a.m.