President Obama's Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt at the White House

President Obama and Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt at the White House (Photo: The White House)

Five months after becoming the first female prime minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt was at the White House on Friday, February 24, 2012, for a bilateral meeting with President Obama.

The two leaders talked through a range of issues—including counterterrorism cooperation and international security. The President also took time to thank Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt for what he called the "extraordinary contributions" of Danish troops in the Helmand area of Afghanistan and indicated their common view in pressing the government of Syria to stop the slaughter of innocent citizens. Speaking to the press after his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt, President Obama pointed out, “I thanked the Prime Minister and the Danish government for their leadership role in applying the toughest sanctions we’ve ever seen coming out of the EU. Difficult sanctions to apply, but we both agree that we’re making progress and they are working in sending a message to Iran that it needs to take a different path if it wants to rejoin the international community, and that there is an expectation on the part of the world that they abide by their international obligations when it comes to their nuclear program.”

In comparing notes, President Obama said that he learned that—just like Americans—Danes are focused intensely on creating jobs and growing the economy.

As her government is chairing the 2012 EU Presidency, Danish Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt emphasized on the debt crisis issue in Europe and asserted for the need of fiscal conservation, reforms, as well as economic and job growth. Moreover she added, “In doing that, in this endeavor, I think a closer transatlantic relationship will be important. We are dependent on each other and we should have closer trade with each other, and I think that would be part of creating sustainable growth in our own countries.”

Concluding her remarks with President Obama to the press, Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt also thanked the President for the courageous operation that freed two aid workers who worked for the Danish Refugee Council.

President Obama and Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt will meet again with other leaders from Europe in Chicago in May for a NATO summit and a meeting of the G-8.

To read the entire transcript of President Obama's and Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt’s remarks after their bilateral meeting, click here.

To read the White House news blog about the bilateral meeting, click here.