Joe Biden to visit UK, Lithuania, then Finland on diplomatic tour

US President Joe Biden will make a European diplomatic tour from July 9 to 13, visiting the United Kingdom, the NATO summit in Lithuania and then Finland, the White House announced on Sunday July 2. He will meet King Charles III and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London to “strengthen close ties” that unite the United Kingdom and the United States, said his spokesperson, Karine Jean-Pierre. The American president will then fly to Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, to participate in the NATO summit which takes place on July 11 and 12, she said in a press release. For the last leg of his trip, in Helsinki, Joe Biden will go to a summit between American and Nordic leaders on July 13.

Finland officially joined NATO in April. The country had applied for membership in February 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the same time as Sweden. But Stockholm is still patient. Although“guest” to the Alliance since June 2022, its candidacy, which must be ratified by the 31 member states, is blocked by Turkey and Hungary. Before his trip, the American president will receive Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at the White House on Wednesday to discuss his country’s accession process.