
The White House is weighing the possibility of President Joe Biden traveling to Europe in the coming weeks for face-to-face talks with European leaders about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to three US officials familiar with the deliberations.
The prospective trip is yet to be finalised. One possible destination for the meetings would be Brussels, which is the headquarters for NATO, one of the officials said Monday.
Another official said the White House was looking at Biden visiting NATO headquarters on March 24, with other potential stops in Europe.
Biden’s potential trip would follow Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to the eastern flank NATO countries of Poland and Romania last week to discuss with leaders there the growing refugee crisis in eastern Europe sparked by the Russian invasion.
The trip would underscore the Biden administration’s support for NATO allies. NBC News first reported that the discussions for a potential Biden trip are underway.
NATO members are worried about being drawn into a military conflict with nuclear power Russia. Biden has repeatedly said that the United States will not send forces into Ukraine, but will defend "every inch" of NATO territory.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said that the United States was closely engaged with its NATO partners and European allies but that there had not been any final decision about a presidential trip.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, the United States and its allies have coordinated broad sanctions against Moscow and President Vladimir Putin as punishment.
(With inputs from agencies)