Biden to meet Kenya president as war roils nearby Ethiopia

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden is set to hold his first one-on-one, in-person talks as president with an African leader on Thursday.

He will play host to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta as war and a humanitarian crisis roil neighboring Ethiopia.

The talks come just weeks after Biden signed an executive order threatening to levy sanctions against Ethiopia’s prime minister and other leaders involved in a conflict gripping the Tigray region if steps aren’t taken soon to wind down the 11-month-old war.

But the situation appears to have only worsened on the ground, with Tigray forces saying Ethiopia’s government has launched a major military offensive.