The German federal government appreciates US President Biden. The plans for his visit to Germany show how much.
Berlin (dpa) – During his visit to Germany next week, US President Joe Biden also wants to meet Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. A state visit is planned from October 10th to 13th. For the first time since reunification, a US president will be received in Germany with the highest protocol honors, the Federal President’s Office in Berlin announced.
The last state visit was decades ago
According to information, the last state visit by a US president was almost 40 years ago, when President Ronald Reagan traveled to Bonn, Bitburg and Bergen-Belsen in 1985.
After his arrival late Thursday evening next week, Biden will be greeted with military honors by Steinmeier on Friday morning at his official residence, Bellevue Palace. Afterwards a conversation between the two is planned.
Important honor for Biden
At noon, Steinmeier wants to hold a state banquet in Biden’s honor and award him the highest German honor, the special level of the Grand Cross of the Federal Order of Merit. “In doing so, the Federal President honors President Biden’s contributions to the German-American friendship and the transatlantic alliance, which Biden has significantly shaped over five decades and strengthened, especially in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine,” said the Federal President’s Office. Biden is the first US president since George W. Bush to receive this award.
Biden is scheduled to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Friday afternoon. Both want to travel to Rhineland-Palatinate on Saturday. A Ukraine summit is scheduled to take place at the US air force base in Ramstein, to which Biden is inviting people. At the meeting of the US-led contact group to support Ukraine attacked by Russia, Biden wanted to coordinate the efforts of the more than 50 countries that supported Kiev in its defensive fight, the White House said. dpa
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