U.S. President Joe Biden says there will be no doubt about the resolve of the United States to defend democratic values when he holds his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Biden attempted to set the stage for the June 16 meeting by writing an opinion piece in which he noted the meeting with Putin will take place after days of discussions with U.S. partners and allies “who see the world through the same lens as the United States.”

Biden laid out his agenda and goals for his upcoming trip to Europe, his first foreign travel since becoming president, in the article, which was published June 5 in The Washington Post and released by the White House.

The trip will be packed with meetings between Biden and the leaders of many of the United States’ closest democratic partners, including the Group of Seven (G7) nations, NATO allies, and leaders of the European Union before it concludes with his meeting with Putin.

Biden is scheduled to leave for Europe on June 9 and first attend the G7 summit in Britain. He said the trip comes in a “moment of global uncertainty” as the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic but will mostly be about “realizing America’s renewed commitment to our allies and partners and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age.”

He said when he meets Putin in Geneva after the many meetings with allies, it will be clear to the Russian president that the United States and its friends “are standing united to address Russia’s challenges to European security, starting with its aggression in Ukraine.”

Source – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty