US President Joe Biden (78) called for the defense of democracy to begin his first trip to Europe and underscored the United States’ claim to leadership.

“I think we are at a turning point in world history,” Biden said Wednesday in front of US troops at Mildenhall Air Force Base in eastern England, which is used by the US military. “You know better than anyone that democracy doesn’t happen by chance. We have to defend it. We have to strengthen them.”

The US president said: “We must defame those who believe that the era of democracy is over.”

US President and First Lady Jill Biden, 70, arrived in Great Britain on Wednesday evening, two days before the start of the G7 summit in Cornwall.

This is Biden’s first foreign trip since taking office in January. Next to him is the appointment marathon:

ami Thursday Bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (56) is planned in Cornwall.

from Friday to Sunday The heads of state and government of seven important western industrialized nations meet at the seaside resort of Corbys Bay.

On the sidelines of the G7 summit, Biden also wants to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel (66, CDU).

At the end of their visit to Great Britain, the US President and First Lady will be present Sunday Received by Queen Elizabeth II (95) at Windsor Castle near London.

ami Monday Biden attends the NATO summit in Brussels, where a top meeting with EU representatives is on schedule the next day.

ami Wednesday Next week, a much-anticipated summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin (68) is planned in Geneva before the US President returns to Washington.

“The United States Is Back”

Speaking to US troops on Wednesday, Biden said of his schedule: “At every point along the way, we will make it clear that the United States is back and that the world’s democracies will solve the most difficult challenges and issues facing us.” Let’s stand together. Our future is most important.”

The US sees itself obliged to “lead with strength”, Biden insisted. “Our alliances were not formed by coercion or intimidation. They are based on democratic ideals, a shared vision of the future.”

In Brussels he “will make it clear that our NATO alliance and the United States’ commitment to Article Five are rock solid. We have this sacred obligation under Article Five.”

The article stated that an armed attack against one or more NATO partners would be viewed as an attack against all member states of the coalition.

In view of the Putin summit, Biden expressed a desire for a predictable relationship: “We are not looking for a conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship,” he said.

Biden also warned that the United States would react if the Russian government committed “harmful acts” such as violating the sovereignty of other countries. He is meeting with Putin “to tell him what I want to tell him” – and only after meetings with “our closest democratic partners”.