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Biden to join EU leaders' video conference on Thursday

WION Web Team
Brussels  Updated: Mar 23, 2021, 11:28 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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EU leaders will meet via video conference on Thursday and Friday to discuss vaccines, Russia, Turkey and industrial policy. Biden is expected to join at 1945 GMT, an EU spokesman said

US President Joe Biden will join a video conference of European Union leaders on Thursday, a top EU official said, as both sides try to repair ties after four difficult years with former president Donald Trump. 

"Looking forward to welcome @POTUS at this week's European Council meeting," European Council President Charles Michel, who chairs summits, said on Twitter. "I have invited the President of the US to join our meeting for him to share his views on our future cooperation. Time to rebuild our transatlantic alliance." 

EU leaders will meet via video conference on Thursday and Friday to discuss vaccines, Russia, Turkey and industrial policy. Biden is expected to join at 1945 GMT, an EU spokesman said. 

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday pledged to rebuild and revitalise the transatlantic military alliance after a bruising four years when Washington portrayed NATO as outdated, divided and in crisis.  

The first top US official to visit NATO since President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken said the alliance was at a pivotal moment but could emerge stronger after internal disputes over Turkey and Russian gas.  

"I've come here to express the United States' steadfast commitment (to NATO)," Blinken told reporters as he met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The United States wants to rebuild our partnerships, first and foremost with our NATO allies, we want to revitalise the alliance."  

After four years of friction with Washington under the presidency of Donald Trump, who said the alliance was obsolete and harangued allies over defence spending targets, NATO's European members have welcomed the change in tone, saying they are once again being consulted on strategy. 

(With inputs from agencies)