WASHINGTON — President Biden is scheduled to fulfill 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. clear power 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 can be a check of the trans-Atlantic allies’ capability to carry collectively a unified entrance on the worldwide stage whilst they take care of inner disagreements.
Whereas Mr. Biden has typically celebrated his efforts to unite the West in opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a few of these European allies have expressed frustration over one of many president’s signature financial packages: $370 billion in local weather spending that gives tax credit to American shoppers to purchase new and used electrical autos. The legislation restricts the credit score to autos 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 a drawback. After Mr. Biden and Ms. Von der Leyen meet, they’re anticipated to announce that they’ll begin negotiations centered on the crucial minerals, administration officers talking on the situation of anonymity mentioned on Thursday.
The 2 leaders are additionally anticipated to debate how they will proceed to place financial strain on Russia because the warfare in Ukraine rages, the officers mentioned. 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 unbiased, many are actually grappling with an power disaster.
The Biden administration has additionally more and more cautioned allies that China may quickly transfer to provide weapons to Moscow. The administration officers previewing the assembly mentioned Mr. Biden and Ms. Von der Leyen would talk about the best way to tackle “third nation actors” in Russia’s warfare, 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 finish a dispute over post-Brexit commerce guidelines for Northern Eire. The deal, generally known as the Windsor Framework, helped keep away from a commerce warfare between Britain and the European Union whereas opening the door to restoring a functioning authorities in Northern Eire.