Obama welcomes foreign leaders to the White House

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is welcoming German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House. The two leaders will hold a morning meeting in the Oval Office.

Obama will then meet with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The Orthodox Christian leader is winding up an extended visit the United States.

In the afternoon, the president will participate in the U.S.-European Union Summit in the Cabinet Room. Participants include Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council High Representative Javier Solana.