Biden says sending US troops to Haiti ‘not on the agenda at this moment’

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WASHINGTON – President Biden said Thursday that sending US troops to Haiti “is not on the agenda right now.” Haiti had asked the United States and the United Nations for military forces to help secure the country’s key infrastructure following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise a few days ago.

Biden told reporters at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the United States is only sending US Marines to the embassy in Haiti to make sure it is “safe and nothing is ever out of control.”

At the same time, Cuba recently experienced a wave of protests over food shortages, high prices, and the government’s failure to stem the rapidly escalating COVID-19 infections. Asked about Cuba and communism by CBS News White House correspondent Stephen Portnoy, Biden said: “Communism is a failed system. A failed system globally. And I don’t see socialism as a very useful alternative.”

Mr Biden said he would be willing to give “large amounts of the vaccine” to Cuba, but only “if it is confirmed in fact that an international organization is going to administer these vaccines and do it in the way that ordinary citizens can access those vaccines.”

During the press conference, the president also addressed doubts about the “human” infrastructure proposals that are expected to be considered by the Senate in the coming days.

“Look, I understand why the press, among others, is skeptical about whether this deal can be done on infrastructure and human infrastructure,” Biden said. “I have watched and listened to the press declaring the death of my initiative at least 10 times so far. I don’t think it is dead. I believe it is still alive. I still have confidence that we will be able to get what I have proposed and what I have agreed to in a bipartisan agreement regarding infrastructure.

President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hold a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House, July 15, 2021. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

He said of Republican senators who are part of the bipartisan infrastructure deal, “I trust the Republican senators who have made commitments on how to move forward and what will be included in the infrastructure package. They are Balcony men and women, and I expect they will keep their commitment” .

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During Thursday’s meetings with Merkel, who has served as chancellor for more than 15 years and will soon leave, Biden emphasized the strength of the US-German relationship on Thursday, insisting that the relationship between the two countries is “strong and getting stronger.”

The president announced that the two countries are launching a climate and energy partnership to work on pressing climate change issues, as well as a “future forum” to collaborate on ideas in areas including business and science. Mr. Biden also said that he and Merkel are united in their conviction that Russia must not be allowed to use energy as a weapon to defeat its neighbors. For her part, Merkel also addressed the threats of Russia and China.

Merkel, through an interpreter, said the United States was “evaluating the issue” of travel restrictions from Germany to the United States, which came up in her meeting with the president. Germany is currently on the US list of countries with travel restrictions, even as vaccines are widely available. Merkel cited variable delta spread as a consideration. Their talks discussed Nord Stream 2, the pipeline that will transport natural gas from Russia to Germany, and convey economic and diplomatic relations with Russia.

“But let me say very clearly, our idea is and remains that Ukraine remains a transit country for natural gas, and that Ukraine, like any other country in the world, has the right to territorial sovereignty, which is why we continue to participate,” she said. Russia respects this right in Ukraine as a transit country. So, Nord Stream 2 is an additional project, and unfortunately no project replaces any kind of transit to Ukraine. Obviously anything else would create a lot of tension.”

Meeting together, the two leaders also addressed the need to share vaccines around the world, as well as security challenges in places like Afghanistan.

President and First Lady Jill Biden hosts Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer for dinner in the government dining room. The dinner will feature a variety of guests, from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Vice President Kamala Harris and number two Doug Imhoff will also be in attendance at the dinner.

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