Biden to meet Russian deputy PM Ivanov in Munich
2009-02-06

Nations Afghanistan Pakistan Russia Category Regions Regions Asia Europe Pacific Rim People David Petraeus Nicolas Sarkozy Angela Merkel Joseph Biden Event Russia-U.S. Source (AFP)

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Vice President Joe Biden will meet Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov this weekend in Munich during a flurry of talks at a top-level security conference, the White House said Friday.

Biden, who leaves later Friday, will be making the first trip abroad by a key player in the Obama administration and will also give a speech calling on US allies to work together to confront common security challenges.

The White House said Biden would also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

There will also be talks at the annual Wehrkunde conference with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and top NATO officials, the White House said in a statement.

Biden's delegation to Munich will include national security advisor General James Jones, the special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, and the top commander of US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq General David Petraeus.