A Meeting with Danish Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt of Denmark hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, Feb. 24, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Sonya Hebert)

Five months after becoming the first female prime minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt was at the White House today for a meeting with President Obama.

The two leaders talked through a range of issues -- including counterterrorism cooperation and international security. The President also took time to thank Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt  for what he called the "extraordinary contributions" of Danish troops in the Helmand area of Afghanistan.

But in comparing notes, President Obama said that he learned that -- just like Americans -- Danes are focused intensely on creating jobs and growing the economy.

The President said:

[We] agreed that there has been some progress in resolving the sovereign debt issues, that there has been some progress with respect to the agreements between the EU and the IMF and Greece, the new government in Italy, new governments in Spain and Portugal are all making significant progress, but that there's a lot more work to do. And we will be consulting closely with Denmark. 

President Obama will meet again with a range of leaders from Europe in Chicago in May -- for a NATO summit and a meeting of the G-8.