GERMANY-Merkel And Biden To Discuss Russia, China, Biden To Raise NSII Issue

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the White House today for a state visit, her last to the United States after 16 years in office. Andrew Feinberg in The Independent outlines the comments made last night by a White House official indicating the topics the two leaders would discuss.

• Post-talks presser due at 1615ET (2115BST, 2215CET).
• "The leaders…will discussshared ways to respond to regional challenges, including addressing Russian cyberattacks and territorial aggression, countering China's rising influence, non-market economic practices and human rights abuses, including forced labor, support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and … bolstering the Euro Atlantic aspirations of the Western Balkan countries," as well as "their commitment to shoring up democracy at home, and defending human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law around the world".
• Notably, the issue of the Nord Stream II gas pipeline running from Russia to Germany is not on the agenda for talks. The White House has said that American concerns about the pipeline have been frequently raised at other levels, but that Biden would certainly "raise his long standing concerns…about Russia's geopolitical project, and about the importance of developing concrete mechanisms to ensure that energy is not used as a coercive tool against Ukraine, our eastern flank allies, or any other country".
• The two leaders will, following their meeting, sign the 'Washington Declaration', which intends to "outline their common vision for cooperation to confront policy challenges."