BERLIN — President Biden’s trip to Germany was supposed to be a grand affair complete with military parades in Berlin and a high-level Ukraine summit at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base. That was last week before the White House canceled because of Hurricane Milton.

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.

President Joe Biden has long believed diplomacy is about personal relationships — and he’ll spend Friday in Berlin with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as his time in office is on the cusp of ending