US President Joe Biden arrived at a summit with European Union leaders that officials said would focus largely on issues of trade.
Biden has yet to roll back Trump-era tariffs on steel and aluminum, but he did help settle a dispute that had dragged on for nearly two decades over subsidies for Boeing and Airbus.
The two sides were expected to announce a resolution of the aircraft dispute, and signal progress on the metal tariffs without formally announcing their suspension quite yet.
Biden is eager to restore transatlantic ties on his European tour this week, hoping to enter the high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow appearing united with western allies. That has mostly come in statements of support, but the trade dispute resolution is a concrete signal of his intent to normalize traditional US alliances after four years of strain.
"America is back. We are committed — we have never fully left — but we are reasserting the fact it is overwhelmingly in the interest of the United States to have a great relationship with NATO and with the EU," Biden said as the talks began. "I have a very different view than my predecessor."
His message was welcomed by his hosts, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
"The last four years have not been easy," said von der Leyen.
Officials want to ease trade tensions ahead of Biden's meeting with Putin to put on a united front against Moscow.