After months devoted to supporting Ukraine and punishing Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden is shifting focus, at least temporarily, back to Asia, a sign that the ongoing war will not drown out the administration's other international goals.

Biden from Thursday meets leaders of ASEAN for a two-day summit, a sign of personal US engagement in a region full of disputes with a rising China.

A week later, Biden travels to Japan and South Korea, two treaty allies of the US, and will hold a four-way summit in Tokyo with the prime ministers of Australia, India and Japan – the "Quad" widely perceived as a counter to Beijing.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will soon deliver what is billed as a major speech on China, although it was recently pushed back after the top US diplomat tested positive for COVID-19.

At the ASEAN summit, "certainly the war in Ukraine will be a topic of discussion, but it's also an opportunity to discuss security in the region," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

She said she also expected discussion on the pandemic and on North Korea — which may soon soar to the top of US priorities with Washington seeing signs of an imminent new nuclear test.

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