US President Joe Biden took off Thursday on a swift farewell trip to Germany, for talks with allies to shore up Ukraine's increasingly desperate fight against Russia.Zelensky told allies in Brussels on Thursday that Ukraine must be in a position of strength before any peace talks with Russia,

BERLIN — President Joe Biden leaves Thursday for what is likely to be his final trip as president to Europe, where Germany will bestow its highest honor on him for spearheading global efforts to protect Ukraine as European leaders strategize for a potential future in which the United States could be less engaged in the transatlantic alliance.