President Joe Biden will welcome German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House on July 15, the White House announced on Friday morning.
The visit to the White House will be her first under Biden’s presidency and likely her final U.S. visit as chancellor. Merkel has decided to not seek a fifth term and an election will be held in September to find her replacement.
“Chancellor Merkel’s visit will affirm the deep bilateral ties between the United States and Germany,” the White House said in a statement. “The leaders will discuss their commitment to close cooperation on a range of common challenges, including ending the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the threat of climate change, and promoting economic prosperity and international security based on our shared democratic values.”
Biden met Merkel in person for the first time at the G-7 Summit in Cornwall, England on Friday.
The news of the visit comes after Biden decided to waive sanctions on the company behind Russia’s Nord Stream 2, an oil pipeline, citing national security reasons. Aides close to Biden say he made the move to avoid confrontation with Germany.
Merkel has worked with four US presidents over her tenure, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.
