Biden to host EU chief von der Leyen on March 10

The leaders will review the "strong cooperation" between the United States and European Union in supporting Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion, the White House said in a statement Thursday.

In a nod to simmering tensions over industrial policy, the statement said Biden and von der Leyen will also "discuss US-EU coordination to combat the climate crisis through investing in clean technology based on secure supply chains."

European leaders are concerned that Biden's landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) -- a vast climate plan aimed at reducing dependence on Chinese imports -- could come at the expense of European jobs, especially in the energy and auto sectors.

Also on the agenda of Biden's talks with von der Leyen will be efforts to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian energy imports as the West seeks to curtail the main financing sources for Moscow's war against its neighbor.

And global security challenges, "including our work together to address the challenges posed by the People's Republic of China," will feature prominently in the talks, the White House said.

Washington has been urging European capitals to take a firmer stand against Beijing -- not just diplomatically, but also economically.