Biden sets off to Europe on first foreign trip as president

President Biden is heading to Europe on Wednesday on his first foreign trip as president as the administration strives to emphasize relationships with U.S. allies. 

While there, he will participate in both the G7 and NATO summits, as well as an EU-U.S. Summit. Mr. Biden’s key message to allies has been that America is back, after former President Trump at times mocked leaders of the nation’s closest allies and championed an “America first” platform. The White House says this trip will focus on America’s commitment to rallying world democracies and defending shared values. 

But the most closely-watched part of the president’s trip will be next week when Mr. Biden has a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The engagement promises particularly high stakes, especially given recent ransomware attacks in the U.S. committed by hackers that U.S. intelligence officials say are in Russia. 

On Wednesday, Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden will leave for the United Kingdom, where they will first meet with U.S. military personnel and their families stationed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall. On Thursday, Mr. Biden will meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. On Saturday and Sunday, the president will attend the G7 Summit in Cornwall. 

On Sunday, he will meet with the U.K.’s Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. As White House press secretary Jen Psaki said often before the White House confirmed that visit, “Who wouldn’t want to meet the queen?” 

From there, he will travel to Brussels, Belgium, where the G20 summit will be held on Monday. Mr. Biden will also meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the summit. 

He’ll also participate in an EU-U.S. Summit while in Brussels. 

The president’s meeting with Putin will come toward the end of his trip on Wednesday in Brussels. The White House has not said yet whether Mr. Biden and Putin will hold a joint press conference.