NATO’s secretary-general called an “extraordinary summit” for next Thursday.
President Joe Biden will to travel to Brussels next week to meet with NATO leaders in his first visit to Europe since Russian President Vladimir Putin began his violent invasion of Ukraine, the White House announced Tuesday.
At the show of unity on March 24, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, Biden will “reaffirm our ironclad commitment to our NATO allies.”
His trip follows the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic heading to Kyiv on Tuesday, as shelling continues there, in a show of support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy despite the danger on the ground.
Just before the White House announcement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted, “I have convened an extraordinary Summit on 24 March at #NATO HQ. We will address #Russia’s invasion of #Ukraine, our strong support for Ukraine, and further strengthening NATO’s deterrence & defence. At this critical time, North America & Europe must continue to stand together.”
Biden will also join a scheduled European Council summit “to discuss our shared concerns about Ukraine, including transatlantic efforts to impose economic costs on Russia, provide humanitarian support to those affected by the violence and address other challenges related to the conflict,” Psaki said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.