U.S. President Joe Biden met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his visit to Germany.
President Steinmeier presented Biden, who is visiting Germany before the end of his term, with the country’s highest award for “German-American friendship.”
In awarding Biden the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Steinmeier called him a “beacon of democracy.” According to Steinmeier, the award honors Biden’s “decades of dedication to the transatlantic alliance.”
Steinmeier also remarked on the “historic opportunity” presented by Biden’s presidency, particularly during the war in Ukraine.
“This honor means a great deal to me,” Biden said in response. He noted that the U.S. and Germany share a long and complex history, adding that the “power of democracy” and the importance of alliances should never be underestimated.
Biden is the second U.S. president to receive this award, following George H.W. Bush.
Meeting with Holocaust survivor friedländer
During the reception at Bellevue Palace, Biden also met with 102-year-old Margot Friedländer, a Holocaust survivor. Although Biden had originally planned to visit the Holocaust memorial near the U.S. Embassy at the Brandenburg Gate, the ceremony was canceled due to the brief nature of his visit.
Biden expressed his gratitude to the German government for its commitment to “fighting anti-Semitism and extremism.”
ZDF correspondent: Biden’s visit may not be remembered
“The German leadership had the wisdom to recognize a turning point in history,” Biden said, thanking Germany for its support of Ukraine and praising Berlin’s “incredible commitment” to Kyiv.
He highlighted Germany’s tireless efforts to help Ukraine achieve victory, stressing that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin would fail, and NATO would emerge more unified than ever.
Biden later met with Chancellor Scholz, and the two leaders held a joint press conference.
At the press conference, both Biden and Scholz addressed the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. However, according to ZDF correspondent Dominik Rzepka, their statements were somewhat vague, particularly regarding Ukraine. “For example, they didn’t mention the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO,” Rzepka noted.
Rzepka suggested that because of this lack of concrete detail, Biden’s visit might not leave a lasting impact or yield significant outcomes.
Comments on Hamas, Sinwar, and Kyiv
The two leaders also spoke about the latest developments in the Middle East. Scholz claimed that the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had “opened a corridor for a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Biden, meanwhile, raised the idea of pursuing a ceasefire without involving Hamas.
“We will also ensure that NATO does not become a party to the war, so it does not escalate into a greater catastrophe,” Scholz added, reiterating that Germany would support Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”
Biden reaffirmed the U.S.’s “strong and unwavering” support for Kyiv, highlighting that both Berlin and Washington are among the leading supporters of Ukraine’s “fight for survival as a free and independent nation.”
