Biden welcomed with honor in Germany – DW – 10/18/2024
US President Joe Biden was welcomed with military honors by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier during a day-long visit to Germany during which the US President will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the President of France. Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
Biden landed in Berlin last night, arriving at the German presidential residence, Bellevue Palace, in the middle of the city, fully armored with more than 3,000 police officers, helicopters flying over the area and closed businesses.
Steinmeier welcomed Biden with a handshake and the two leaders walked inside the palace, where Biden signed the guest book. Later, they went outside again, where the American flag was raised to the beat of the country’s national anthem.
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
Steinmeier then awarded the President of the United States the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, the highest civilian honor of the Federal Republic of Germany, to honor his services “to the German-American friendship and transatlantic alliance over more than five decades.” Did. , and praised him as a “democratic beacon” at a time of global uncertainty.
Biden, who was a senator from Delaware between 1997 and 2009 and Vice President of the United States between 2009 and 2017 before becoming president in 2021, is the second US president to receive the award after George HW Bush in 1993. Services to German unity. The medal was established in 1951 by then President Theodor Heuss.
After a ceremony at the presidential residence in which both leaders gave speeches, the US leader went to the State Department to meet with Olaf Scholz to discuss issues related to the common defense and defense of allies, the war in Ukraine and the United States. Conflict in the Middle East.
He will be joined in the afternoon by the leaders of France and the United Kingdom, with whom Biden will also discuss urgent global issues, including the two wars, but particularly the issue of Israel in the Gaza Strip following the killing of top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Will discuss. ,
RML (EFE, dpa, updated at 13:34 CET)