PREVIEW - Merkel Meets Biden On Farewell, Fence-Mending US Tour With Nord Stream 2 On Agenda

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2021) US President Joe Biden hosts on Thursday German Chancellor Angela Merkel who is on a farewell visit to the White House ahead of her political retirement as both countries work to mend ties after several rocky years under the previous American administration.

The leaders are expected to address multiple often contentious issues - from the global fight against COVID-19 and efforts to ensure the post-pandemic economic rebound to the impending withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan and an ongoing quest for a transatlantic consensus over the Nord Stream 2 gas-exporting route from Russia into Europe.

Merkel, who turns 67 on July 17, retires after Germany's election on September 26 as she chose not to seek her fifth term in office. Merkel is paying her 19th official visit to the US with Biden being the fourth President she will be meeting with over the span of her career. She is also the first European leader to be hosted at the White House since Biden's inauguration, though they both met during last month's G-7 summit in England and NATO summit in Brussels.

Merkel may expect a warm welcome as Biden seeks to restore US alliances across the globe and break up with unilateral policies of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who would publicly chastise Germany for failing to pay what he considered a fair due to NATO coffers and was about to pull out at least some of American troops stationed in the country.

In arguably the most telling sign of an unprecedented low in the relationship between the two countries Trump refused a handshake when he was greeting Merkel at the White House in 2017.

Biden in contrast publicly praised Merkel as the European leader he admires most.

In his fence-mending bid he went as far as to waive Trump-era sanctions against the German Nord Stream 2 operator and recognized that the construction is unlikely to be stopped. The countries are now engaged in consultations on how to prevent Russia from gaining extra leverage over European energy markets and to offset potential Ukraine losses.

It is not immediately clear if the leaders will be ready to announce a breakthrough during their summit.

Among other issues on the agenda are shared concerns about the future Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US troops set to be completed by August 31. Germany has already pulled out the remainder of its military force. More than 150,000 German troops served in Afghanistan over the last 20 years and Germany is believed to be the second largest donor of the beleaguered country.

CNBC also quoted unnamed US officials who said that Biden and Merkel are also expected to discuss "an alarming number of cyberattacks."