WASHINGTON — President Biden is scheduled to satisfy on Friday afternoon with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Fee, and the 2 leaders are anticipated to coordinate on assist for Ukraine and open negotiations over U.S. clean energy subsidies which have prompted anger amongst some European nations.
The dialogue, scheduled for two p.m. on the White Home, will vary from a possible commerce deal to issues over China’s assist for Moscow, and shall be a take a look at of the trans-Atlantic allies’ means to carry collectively a unified entrance on the worldwide stage whilst they cope with inner disagreements.
Whereas Mr. Biden has typically celebrated his efforts to unite the West in opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some of those European allies have expressed frustration over one of many president’s signature financial packages: $370 billion in local weather spending that provides tax credit to American shoppers to purchase new and used electrical automobiles. The legislation restricts the credit score to automobiles in-built North America and has strict necessities across the crucial minerals used to make their batteries.
European officers have been outspoken in opposition to the legislation, which they are saying will put their corporations at an obstacle. After Mr. Biden and Ms. Von der Leyen meet, they’re anticipated to announce that they are going to begin negotiations targeted on the crucial minerals, administration officers talking on the situation of anonymity stated on Thursday.
The 2 leaders are additionally anticipated to debate how they will proceed to place financial strain on Russia because the battle in Ukraine rages, the officers stated. However Mr. Biden now additionally faces the problem of sustaining public assist for help to Ukraine. Polls show American support softening, and whereas Mr. Biden has rallied European allies, who rely closely on Russian pure gasoline, to be extra power impartial, many at the moment are grappling with an power disaster.
The Biden administration has additionally more and more cautioned allies that China might quickly transfer to produce weapons to Moscow. The administration officers previewing the assembly stated Mr. Biden and Ms. Von der Leyen would talk about how you can handle “third nation actors” in Russia’s battle, a time period Biden administration officers have used to explain China’s assist for Moscow.
Mr. Biden can also be anticipated to thank Ms. Von der Leyen for serving to to safe a deal that helped end a dispute over post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. The deal, often called the Windsor Framework, helped keep away from a commerce battle between Britain and the European Union whereas opening the door to restoring a functioning authorities in Northern Eire.
