BERLIN

On an official visit to Berlin, US President Joe Biden on Friday received Germany's highest Order of Merit.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier praised Biden’s contributions to closer ties between the US and Europe, and his commitment to transatlantic solidarity.

“Sir, when you were elected president, you restored Europe’s hope in the transatlantic alliance literally overnight,” Steinmeier said during the award ceremony at the Bellevue Palace.

“Today, you are the 46th president of the United States – and under your leadership, the transatlantic alliance is stronger and our partnership is closer than ever,” he stressed.

Steinmeier underlined that for Germany, the friendship with the United States has always be “existentially important” both for Germany’s security and democracy.

“Mr. President, on the historic occasion of your visit to Germany, my country recognizes your decades-long dedication to the transatlantic alliance, your outstanding political leadership in Europe’s most dangerous moment since the Cold War, and your lasting moral example of service, sincerity, and decency,” he said.

Biden’s farewell visit to Germany comes at a time of growing concerns in Berlin about the future of transatlantic ties, as recent opinion polls suggest that former President Donald Trump may win the 2024 US presidential election, this Nov. 5, in less than three weeks.

Trump was vocally dismissive of the postwar US alliances, including NATO, its signature institution, and made critical and insulting remarks about Angela Merkel, the country’s longtime chancellor and Scholz’s predecessor.