WINDSOR, England: Britain’s King Charles welcomed German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday at the start of his three-day state visit to Britain, the latest show of closer relations between the European allies following Brexit.
The trip is the first state visit by a German President for 27 years and comes two years after Charles went to Germany for what was his first official overseas trip after he became king in September 2023.
The British monarch and his wife Queen Camilla greeted the president and his wife Elke Budenbender in Windsor before they took part in a carriage procession to Windsor Castle along with the king’s son Prince William and his wife Kate.
The trip will be similar to Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain in September, although it will be much more public due to the huge security operation that was put in place for the US president.
Later on Wednesday, Steinmeier will visit British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in his Downing Street office ahead of a state banquet at Windsor Castle.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Britain in July to sign a new treaty with Britain which is seeking to reset relations with the European Union after acrimony caused by Brexit. Steinmeier’s trip also follows a three-day state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron in July.
On Thursday, the German president and his wife will lay flowers at the tomb of Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, and will be shown the State Sleigh, which was designed by Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert.
During his visit, Steinmeier will also address British lawmakers in parliament, and meet German soccer players plying their trade for Premier League clubs in Britain.
On Friday, the couple will travel to Coventry in central England which was heavily bombed during World War Two, where the president will lay wreath in the ruins of city’s old cathedral alongside the Duke of Kent, who himself attended events in February to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the bombing of Dresden in Germany by the allies.
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King Charles welcomes German president to UK for state visit
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King Charles welcomes German president to UK for state visit
- President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s trip is the first state visit by a German leader for 27 years
- It comes two years after Charles went to Germany for what was his first official overseas trip after he became king
Putin and Modi to discuss Russia-India trade and defense ties amid US pressure
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday at an annual summit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties on the second day of his state visit.
The 23rd Russia-India Summit comes at a pivotal moment as the United States pushes for a Ukraine peace deal while seeking global cooperation. They will test New Delhi’s efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington as the nearly four-year war in Ukraine grinds on.
Putin was received by Modi at an airport in New Delhi on Thursday, who gave the visting leader a bear hug and a tight handshake with the gusto of an old friend.
According to Indian officials involved in the preparation for the summit, the agenda includes talks on defense, energy and labor mobility.
While India has historically maintained deep ties with Russia, critics say Putin’s visit could strain relations with the European Union and the United States and might jeopardize negotiations for major trade agreements with both that are seen as critical for India’s exports.
US President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent in August, citing New Delhi’s discounted Russian oil. India has been the second biggest importer of Russian crude after China.
The US says purchases of Russian oil help finance Moscow’s war machine. In October, US sanctioned two of Moscow’s biggest oil producers to force countries like India to cut down on imports. Indian officials have said New Delhi has always abided by international sanctions and would do so in the case of Russia oil purchases as well.
India and the US set a target for the first tranche of a trade deal by the fall, but the deal hasn’t come through yet amid strains in relations.
India is also in the final stages of talks on a trade agreement with the EU, which sees Russia’s war in Ukraine as a major threat.
In his meeting with Putin, Modi is likely to push for faster delivery of two further more Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. It has already received three under a 2018 deal worth about $5.4 billion. The delay has been tied to supply chain disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine.
The two sides signed a pact in February to improve military cooperation, exercises, port calls, disaster relief assistance and logistics support. Moscow’s State Duma ratified the same ahead of Putin’s India visit.
Talks are also expected on upgrading India’s Russian-made Su-30MKI fighter jets and accelerating deliveries of critical military hardware.
Trade is also expected to be a major point in talks.
Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $68.7 billion in the last fiscal year ended March, while the aim is to boost it to $100 billion by 2030. The trade is heavily skewed in favor of Russia with deep deficits for India, which it is looking to bridge by pushing exports.
India is keen to increase exports of pharmaceuticals, agriculture and textiles to Russia and is seeking the removal of non-tariff barriers. New Delhi is also seeking long-term supplies of fertilizers from Moscow.
Another key area where the two countries are expected to finalize an agreement is the safety and regulation of migration of Indian skilled workers to Russia.
Putin last visited India in 2021. Modi was in Moscow last year, and the two leaders briefly met in September in China during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
The 23rd Russia-India Summit comes at a pivotal moment as the United States pushes for a Ukraine peace deal while seeking global cooperation. They will test New Delhi’s efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington as the nearly four-year war in Ukraine grinds on.
Putin was received by Modi at an airport in New Delhi on Thursday, who gave the visting leader a bear hug and a tight handshake with the gusto of an old friend.
According to Indian officials involved in the preparation for the summit, the agenda includes talks on defense, energy and labor mobility.
While India has historically maintained deep ties with Russia, critics say Putin’s visit could strain relations with the European Union and the United States and might jeopardize negotiations for major trade agreements with both that are seen as critical for India’s exports.
US President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent in August, citing New Delhi’s discounted Russian oil. India has been the second biggest importer of Russian crude after China.
The US says purchases of Russian oil help finance Moscow’s war machine. In October, US sanctioned two of Moscow’s biggest oil producers to force countries like India to cut down on imports. Indian officials have said New Delhi has always abided by international sanctions and would do so in the case of Russia oil purchases as well.
India and the US set a target for the first tranche of a trade deal by the fall, but the deal hasn’t come through yet amid strains in relations.
India is also in the final stages of talks on a trade agreement with the EU, which sees Russia’s war in Ukraine as a major threat.
In his meeting with Putin, Modi is likely to push for faster delivery of two further more Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. It has already received three under a 2018 deal worth about $5.4 billion. The delay has been tied to supply chain disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine.
The two sides signed a pact in February to improve military cooperation, exercises, port calls, disaster relief assistance and logistics support. Moscow’s State Duma ratified the same ahead of Putin’s India visit.
Talks are also expected on upgrading India’s Russian-made Su-30MKI fighter jets and accelerating deliveries of critical military hardware.
Trade is also expected to be a major point in talks.
Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $68.7 billion in the last fiscal year ended March, while the aim is to boost it to $100 billion by 2030. The trade is heavily skewed in favor of Russia with deep deficits for India, which it is looking to bridge by pushing exports.
India is keen to increase exports of pharmaceuticals, agriculture and textiles to Russia and is seeking the removal of non-tariff barriers. New Delhi is also seeking long-term supplies of fertilizers from Moscow.
Another key area where the two countries are expected to finalize an agreement is the safety and regulation of migration of Indian skilled workers to Russia.
Putin last visited India in 2021. Modi was in Moscow last year, and the two leaders briefly met in September in China during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
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