Obama sets European trip

WASHINGTON, March 5 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will travel to four European countries on a six-day trip at the end of this month, the White House said.

The Obamas will leave March 5 for a trip that will take them to the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Czech Republic before they return home April 5, the White House announced Thursday.

During his stay in Britain, Obama will hold further talks on bilateral and global issues with British and other G20 leaders at the London Summit. The president will meet in France April 3 with French President Nicholas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, before attending NATO Summit events in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany, April 3-4.

NATO will celebrate its 60th anniversary as well as take up strategies for the NATO mission in Afghanistan among other issues, the White House said.

Obama will meet April 4-5 in Prague, Czech Republic, with Czech officials, leaders of European Union member states and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.