国际英语新闻：Obama Europe Trip to Focus on Economy, Security

But analysts say the main purpose of the meetings in London might be to smooth over recent rough spots in the so-called “special relationship” between the United States and Britain.

After disagreements, including the Obama administration blaming Britain for last year’s BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Steven Clemons says the special relationship is not as special as it once was.  But he says that might not be cause for concern. “I do not look at the conflict as a problem as much as it is a sign of a natural and healthy move to a different kind of relationship in the future that may actually be more effective," he said.

The president moves on to Normandy, France, and the resort city of Deauville, where the Group of 8 industrial countries will hold its annual economic summit.

The leaders will cover numerous issues, including global health, food security and arms control.  But their primary focus will be on the state of the world’s economy.

Domenico Lombardi, a senior fellow at Washington’s Brookings Institution, says Mr. Obama knows the economic health of the other G-8 nations will affect the pace of America's economic recovery. “But, of course, it still contains some elements of fragility, and in that sense, it is very important for the U.S. economy that the other systemically important economies are doing well," he said.

Lombardi says he expects Mr. Obama to push America’s European partners for tougher fiscal policies, especially toward heavily indebted countries such as Greece, Portugal and Ireland. “If anything, President Obama will be asking his European counterparts to be more aggressive in devising a more appropriate response to the crisis in Europe," he said.

At the same time, the president hopes to reassure his counterparts on the strength and importance of their relationship.

Mr. Obama will conclude his trip with a long-delayed visit to Poland.  The president had planned to visit Poland last year, for the funeral of President Lech Kaczynski and other officials who were killed in a plane crash.  But the trip was canceled due to the huge cloud of ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland.

During this visit, Mr. Obama and President Bronislaw Komorowski are expected to sign an agreement to station U.S. F-16 fighter jets in Poland, a proposal that has angered Russia.