The President and First Lady Say Goodbye to Chancellor Merkel

 

The President and First Lady spoke by telephone today with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, Professor Dr. Joachim Sauer, to express appreciation for their personal friendship and efforts to forge deeper partnership between Germany and the United States over the last eight years. The President thanked Chancellor Merkel for her strong, courageous, and steady leadership. The President and Chancellor agreed that close cooperation between Washington and Berlin and between the United States and Europe are essential to ensuring a sturdy trans-Atlantic bond, a rules-based international order, and the defense of values that have done so much to advance human progress in our countries and around the world. Given their eight years of friendship and partnership, the President noted that it was fitting that his final call with a foreign leader was with Chancellor Merkel, and he wished her the very best going forward. 

Vice President Biden's Foreign Leader Calls Aboard Air Force Two

Vice ‎President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaci yesterday. The Vice President expressed hope that Kosovo and Serbia could get beyond recent tensions and intensify their efforts to normalize relations through the EU-led Dialogue, in order to improve the lives of the citizens of both nations.

The Vice President also spoke ‎to President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Akinci from Air Force 2 yesterday. The Vice President commended the courage and determination of both leaders, which has resulted in the historic progress settlement talks have achieved to date. The Vice President expressed hope that the momentum of the talks would continue, and pledged to continue to remain available to the leaders even after his term has ended.

Vice President Biden placed a call to Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras as well. The Vice President thanked Prime Minister Tsipras for his personal engagement as talks to reunify Cyprus as a bizonal, bicommunal federation ‎reach a critical juncture. The Vice President expressed appreciation for the strong partnership the U.S. and Greece have enjoyed during the Prime Minister's tenure.

Sources: The Offices of the Press Secretary and Vice President