Biden attending G7, NATO summits amid ‘the most serious security situation in decades’

President Biden will travel to the G7 and NATO summits this week to emphasize the “strength” of U.S. alliances amid what a senior administration official describes as “the most serious security situation in decades,” and as the united Western front backing Ukraine against Russia shows signs of strain.

The president will travel to Schloss Elmau in southern Germany Saturday to attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit, where he and allies will discuss a range of the most pressing global issues.

Topics will include the G7’s “unwavering support for a democratic, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, economic and democratic resilience, tackling the climate crisis, development infrastructure, global health security and the food and energy crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression,” the White House said.

A senior administration official said the president will begin his visit to Germany by meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. 

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY TO JOIN VIRTUAL G7 SUMMIT

The official said the meeting would be “a good opportunity for the president to check signals with Germany at the top, as well as to affirm the enduring ties between our two countries and our continued coordination on a broad range of global challenges.”

The G7 consists of the United States, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom.

An official said representatives from Argentina, India, Indonesia, Senegal and South Africa will also participate in select sessions as guest countries.

The official also noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join leaders virtually at the G7 to discuss the “ongoing efforts to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s aggression.”

During the G7, the official said, the president will “roll out a concrete set of proposals to increase pressure on Russia and demonstrate our support collectively for Ukraine.

“We will address the impact of Putin’s war on prices rising at home and all over the world, including on energy security and food security,” the official said.

“They will strengthen our cooperation on economic issues, cyberspace and quantum and, in particular, the challenges posed by China.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a meeting with military officials as he visits the Mykolaiv region June 18, 2022