Merkel meets Biden to help rebuild frayed trans-Atlantic ties

US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet in the White House on Thursday as part of efforts to renew trans-Atlantic ties after the tensions unleashed by his predecessor's "America First" administration.
The chancellor is set to begin the day in Washington with a breakfast meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris before meeting US business leaders and receiving an honorary doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University.
Merkel's US trip is also likely to be one of her last foreign excursions as chancellor before she leaves the world stage at September's election when she stands down as leader of Europe's biggest economy.
The chancellor has made more than 20 visits to Washington during her 16 years in power with Biden now the fourth president to occupy the White House since she came to power 16 years ago.
The Biden-Merkel talks are expected to focus on steps to end the global coronavirus crisis, the post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change as well international security issues such as the seven-year conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Merkel's White House meeting is also likely to include talks on the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline aimed at supplying Russian natural gas to Europe via Germany.
The 11-billion-dollar pipeline project has been a source of US-German tensions, with Washington arguing it poses a security risk by increasing Europe's dependence on Russia.