U.S.: Biden's Visit to Central Europe

White House officials said Oct. 7 that U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will travel to three Central European countries to discuss ballistic missile defense infrastructure and bilateral security ties. The purpose of Biden's visit is twofold: to reassure Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania that the United States is still a powerful security guarantor, and remind Russia that the United States has clout in its geopolitical backyard. The timing of the visit coincides with the U.S.-Russian tussle over Iran's burgeoning nuclear program.