Angela Merkel invites Joe Biden to Germany 'as soon as pandemic situation allows'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on January 25 invited the US President Joe Biden to visit Germany “as soon as the pandemic situation allows”, her spokesperson said following the first phone call between both the leaders. Biden and Merkel had a telephonic conversation on Monday when he expressed his intention to revitalise the transatlantic alliance, according to a statement by the White House. Both US and German leaders underlined the importance of working in cooperation in the fight against COVID-19. 

"The chancellor and the American president agree that stronger international efforts were needed to deal with the coronavirus pandemic," said Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert in a statement. Further, on the same note, Merkel also welcomed Biden’s decision to retract from the decision made by former US President Donald Trump of pulling out of the World Health Organization (WHO) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Further, lauding Biden’s decision to return to the Paris Climate Accord 2015 that was also abandoned by Trump, Merkel vowed, “Germany's readiness to assume responsibility as it works with European and transatlantic partners in dealing with international tasks”.

“The Chancellor and the President also spoke about foreign policy issues, particularly those relating to Afghanistan and Iran, as well as trade and climate policy. The Chancellor welcomed President Biden's decision to return the US to the Paris Agreement,” the statement read.

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Biden Talks To Mexican President

Meanwhile, on January 23 Biden held a telephonic conversation with his Mexican counterpart Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Biden stated firm resolve to reverse Trump’s "draconian immigration policies". Since his election in 2017, Trump had staunchly opposed illegal immigrants and had taken severe measures to stop them including the construction of a dividing wall between the two countries.

According to a readout of the telephonic conversation, both the leaders discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, particularly regional migration. Biden who had promised to address illegal immigration outlined his plan to reduce migration by addressing its cause, increasing resettlement capacity and lawful alternative pathways, improving border processes reversing the previous administration’s draconian immigration policies.

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