Biden arrives in Berlin for talks with EU leaders

US President Joe Biden arrived in Berlin on 18 October. The US president will hold high-level talks with the leaders of Germany, Britain and France on the war in Ukraine, the Kiev Independent reported.

"We stand ready to greet old friends and strengthen our close alliance as together we defend freedom and oppose tyranny around the world," Biden wrote on the social network X.

He will hold bilateral talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, after which he will hold a broader meeting with other leaders.

"The situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, the trajectory of the war, how allies can best support Ukraine will be the subject of conversation," a senior U.S. official said ahead of Biden's trip.

There is speculation, as well as concerns, about how next month's presidential election could affect U.S. support for Ukraine.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said he will "get out" of the war. On the other hand, Democratic Party candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris pledged to keep US aid.

One of the main principles of the plan is an unconditional invitation to Ukraine to join NATO. Although Western leaders have repeatedly stated that Kiev will become a member of the alliance at some point, a specific timetable for its accession has not been made publicly clear. | BGNES