The White House on Tuesday confirmed the outline of Bush's trip, which uses the U.S.-European Union summit in Slovenia as a launching point. The president will then travel to Germany, Italy, France, England and Northern Ireland. While in Italy, the president will visit the Vatican.

The trip is scheduled to run from June 9-16.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush will mark the 60th anniversary of both the Marshall Plan, the massive U.S. aid program to rebuild Europe after World War II, and the Berlin Airlift, in which U.S. and other Allied forces brought food and supplies to West Berlin during the Soviet blockade.

Such commemoration will underscore "the historic and continuing U.S. role in supporting a Europe increasingly whole, free and at peace," she said.

The trip is perhaps Bush's final one to Europe, a chance to cement ties with some of his closest allies. Perino said Bush will be spending time with "some new friends, and some old friends, of our country."

So far, the White House is describing the trip only in broad themes: strengthening the trans-Atlantic partnership and celebrating friendships between the nations based on shared democratic values. Perino said the economy, trade and counterterrorism will be topics, as will the effort to rein in Iran's influence.

The EU summit rotates yearly between the United States and the European nation holding the EU Council presidency.

Overall, Bush is scheduled to take eight foreign trips this year. He has been to the Middle East twice, Africa and Central and Eastern Europe. He is scheduled to travel to Japan, China and Peru, beyond the European trip announced on Tuesday. Bush may also return to the Middle East before his term ends in January.