Last week, President George W. Bush visited three European countries in just five days. The President met with world leaders and gave speeches. It was the first international trip of his second term.
Bush traveled to Brussels, Belgium; Mainz, Germany; and Bratislava, Slovakia. The President's mission: to try to gather support for American policies. Many Europeans oppose the U.S. war in Iraq, and thousands of protesters greeted Bush.
While in Germany, Bush stopped at the Wiesbaden Army Airfield, where he met with U.S. troops who served in Iraq. They "acted in the great liberating tradition of our nation," he said.
President Bush told Europeans that he is looking for a fresh start. "Past disagreements are behind us," he said. "And we're moving forward for the good of mankind."
On Thursday, Bush met Russian president Vladimir Putin. Bush expressed concern that Russia was moving away from democracy. "Russia has made its choice in favor of democracy," Putin assured Bush. "This is our final choice.... There can be no return to what we used to have."