Biden heads to Europe amid intensive diplomacy on Ukraine

Ashton Carter, U.S. President Barack Obama's nominee to be secretary of defense, testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 4, 2015. REUTERS/Gary Cameron

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will meet top European leaders in Brussels and Munich this week to discuss boosting security and financial aid to Ukraine and tightening economic sanctions on Russia, senior U.S. administration officials said.

Biden's visit, which will include trilateral talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, coincides with a debate in Washington over whether to provide weapons to Ukraine in its fight against Russian-backed separatists.