Biden's bad week: 'Fortunate' to run against Trump again, WH walks back US troops to Ukraine comment

President Joe Biden said during his Europe trip this week that he would be "very fortunate" to run against former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election and appeared to indicate that U.S. troops would be going to Ukraine.

Biden attended NATO and G7 meetings in Europe this week while also visiting U.S. soldiers stationed in Poland to strengthen NATO defenses amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"In the next election, I'd be very fortunate if I had that same man running against me," Biden said during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, CNBC reported.

The president was responding to a reporter. "There are widespread concerns in Europe that a figure like your predecessor might get elected president again," the reporter had commented before asking if there were "any steps, anything you're trying to do, and NATO is trying to do" to prevent Trump from reversing NATO's initiatives.

"One of the things that I take some solace from is I don't think you'll find any European leader who thinks that I am not up to the job," Biden added, according to the New York Post. "And I mean that sincerely."

Biden’s remarks regarding his predecessor come after an Emerson poll released this week found that 59% of voters view Trump favorably compared to just 47% for Biden.

In a hypothetical 2024 presidential election, Trump beat Biden 45% to 42%, according to the poll.

Biden's public approval rating fell to a new low of 40% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll published Tuesday, with 54% of Americans disapproving of his job performance.

While visiting U.S. troops in Poland Friday, Biden told them how average Ukrainian citizens were "stepping up," but seemed to insinuate that the soldiers would soon be joining them.

"You're going to see when you're there — some of you have been there — you're going to see women, young people, standing in the middle, in front of a damn tank, saying, 'I'm not leaving,'" Biden said, Fox News reported.

"The president has been clear we are not sending U.S. troops to Ukraine, and there is no change in that position," a White House spokesperson told Fox News and the New York Post on Friday.