Biden Postpones Crucial Quad Summit with Starmer, Macron, and Scholz Amid Hurricane Milton Threat

Biden postpones Starmer meeting in Germany due to approaching Hurricane Milton

The White House has announced that the president is delaying his state visits to Germany and Angola, originally scheduled for Saturday.

Political correspondent @alixculbertson

Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 16:

US President Joe Biden has delayed a scheduled gathering with Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders from France and Germany in Berlin this weekend due to an impending major hurricane threatening the United States.

The White House announced that the president has decided to delay his scheduled state visits to Germany and Angola this Saturday. The postponement is due to the expected path and intensity of Hurricane Milton, allowing the president to manage both the preparations for and the response to the storm.

He is also managing the continuing response to the effects of Hurricane Helene in the southeastern region.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer announced that he is set to meet with President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin this coming Saturday.

It remains uncertain whether the meeting will proceed in Mr. Biden's absence.

Sir Keir's representative stated that the gathering of the "Quad" countries would focus on troubling events in the Middle East and the circumstances in Ukraine.

The gathering was scheduled to align with Mr. Biden's official trip to Germany, where he planned to participate in a session of the Ramstein group, which consists of over 40 countries that provide military support to Ukraine.

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The coalition takes its name from an earlier gathering at the Ramstein air base in the United States, located in Germany in 2022, where discussions centered on Ukraine's defense capabilities following Russia's invasion.

Sir Keir's representative confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was expected to attend as well.

The meeting scheduled for Saturday in Berlin, followed by another at the Ramstein air base, was set to be the inaugural leadership-level assembly of the Ramstein group.

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The meeting aimed to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he should not expect Western backing for Ukraine to diminish over time, according to a source from the German government.

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A spokesperson for Sir Keir stated that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East was also on the agenda for discussion as tensions in the region intensify.

Last week, Israel intensified its ground military actions in Lebanon, at the same time, the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah increased its rocket attacks on Israel.

Since assuming office as Prime Minister in July, Sir Keir has traveled to the United States on three occasions, discussing strategies for Ukraine and the Middle East with President Biden.

President Zelenskyy stated that the conflict has entered a crucial stage following a significant strike by his forces on a key Russian oil facility.

Russian troops maintain control over extensive regions of Ukraine.

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