Vice President Kamala Harris is set to appear at the Munich Security Conference in Germany next week in hopes of unifying NATO allies amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine, according to the White House on Wednesday.
This year’s conference will see 350 senior figures from NATO countries gathering in Munich, Germany, where Harris will give a key speech about America’s policy toward Ukraine and the country’s continued commitment to its allies.
“Munich will demonstrate our ironclad commitment to our NATO allies, reaffirm our shared interest in upholding the principles that have underpinned European peace, and security since World War II and underscore our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said deputy press secretary for the vice president Sabrina Singh.
This will be Harris’ highest-profile international assignment yet, as the Munich meeting last year was held virtually due to the ongoing pandemic.
Harris’ trip comes after the 82nd Airborne Corp began arriving in Europe this week to help American citizens evacuate Ukraine if Russia invades.
Over 1,700 U.S. paratroopers will set up camp near the Ukrainian border and will provide logistics support, as well as coordinate with the evacuation of 30,000 Americans living inside Ukraine.
According to U.S. officials, Russia has rallied up to 140,000 soldiers along the Ukrainian border and has been asserting power over the country for months.
Russia has denied that it is planning to invade Ukraine, although officials from the U.S. believe that an attack is imminent in the coming days or weeks.
President Biden has previously threatened Russia that he will impose necessary sanctions against Russia—such as shutting down the Nord Stream 2 project, which is a Russian natural gas pipeline that could carry gas between European countries.
Biden has always entrusted Harris to engage with foreign affairs. However, her effectiveness on the world stage has been largely criticized by Republicans, especially after the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal last year.
“The administration failed to establish a clear system of how to contact evacuees and processes to allow them into the airport. The result left American citizens, U.S. legal permanent residents, and Afghan allies abandoned to the fate of the Taliban regime,“ said the GOP senators in a report at the time.
