Ukraine will be a major topic of discussion when President Joe Biden meets Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the White House Monday afternoon. Specifically, the two world leaders most likely will discuss Ukraine's access to F-16 fighter jets and the training needed for them. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cited the need for fighter jets and training for months to help it better defend against Russia. "The two leaders will review our efforts as NATO allies and close partners to strengthen trans-Atlantic security and bolster economic prosperity," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last month about Frederiksen's visit. "They will discuss our unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's brutal war of aggression. The leaders will coordinate on a range of issues, including energy security, climate change, and other global issues." The visit comes three days before British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits the White House on Thursday, raising Ukraine's hope for further support for Kyiv. The Danes have played a leading role in the recently-launched effort to train, and eventually equip, Ukraine with American-made F-16s fighter jets. Frederiksen, who was reelected last autumn, is also emerging as a possible replacement for Jens Stoltenberg as Secretary General of NATO later this year. Any prospective candidate would need the tacit seal of approval from the Americans, and the meeting with Biden is being seen as a necessary stepping stone if the Danish left-wing PM might be considered seriously for the job. On Monday, UK Prime Minister Sunak talked up his own Defense Secretary Ben Wallace for the job. Last week, Frederiksen was among 45 European leaders who traveled to Moldova for the first summit of the European Political Community where they underscored support for Eastern Europe's ambitions to draw closer to the West and keep Moscow at bay. Biden is also expected to discuss with Frederiksen preparations for next month's NATO summit in Lithuania. The 31-member alliance is also looking at boosting Ukraine's non-member status in NATO and preparing a framework for security commitments that it can offer once the war with Russia is over. The current secretary-general is slated to leave his post at the end of September following multiple extensions — though it is possible that he will stay on for a few more months if the alliance's leaders cannot agree on a replacement. The Danish leader checks off several boxes. Allies are looking for a politician with the stature of a head of government, and given that all previous NATO chiefs have been men, there is strong pressure to find a female candidate. At the same time, Denmark is seen as a middle-ground country within the alliance — a strong Ukraine supporter that is nevertheless not as hawkish as some countries on the eastern flank. — Agencies
