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WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden declared on Friday (February 19) that the “transatlantic alliance is back” in a powerful speech that seeks to reestablish the United States as the leader of the West against what he called a global attack on democracy.
The annual Munich Security Conference speech, held via video link due to the Covid-19 pandemic, coincided with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s welcome back to “multilateralism” after years of confrontation from the predecessor. of Biden, Donald Trump.
In his first major international foreign policy speech since taking office in January, Biden said America’s traditional allies should once again have confidence in Washington’s leadership.
“I am sending a clear message to the world: America is back. The transatlantic alliance is back,” he said from the White House.
“The United States is determined, determined to reengage with Europe, to consult with you, to regain our position of trusted leadership,” he said.
Biden, who previously spoke to leaders of the G7 club of rich democracies, said his administration was once again emphasizing alliance-building, in contrast to Trump’s isolationist policies and abrasive treatment of American partners.
“Our partnerships have endured and grown over the years because they are rooted in the richness of our shared democratic values. They are not transactional. They are not extractive,” Biden said in clear reference to Trump’s emphasis on redefining allies as rivals. economical. .
Collective strength, Biden said, is the only way to win when a global contest between democracy and autocracy is at a “tipping point.”
“In too many places, including Europe and the United States, democratic progress is under attack,” Biden said.
“Historians will examine and write about this moment. It is a turning point. And I believe with every ounce of my being that democracy must prevail.”
US President Joe Biden said the transatlantic alliance is ‘back’ in a speech at the Munich Security Conference AFP / MANDEL NGAN
THREATS FROM RUSSIA AND CHINA
Biden said he was not seeking a return to “the rigid blocs of the Cold War,” insisting that the international community must work together on issues such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, even when there are deep disagreements on other issues.
The return of the United States, as of Friday, to the Paris climate accord was proof of Washington’s intentions, he said.
“We can no longer delay or do the bare minimum to address climate change,” Biden said, calling this a “global existential crisis.”
But Biden issued harsh warnings about the threats he said posed by Russia and China.
“The Kremlin attacks our democracies and weapons corruption to try to undermine our system of government,” he said. President Vladimir Putin “seeks to weaken the European project and our NATO alliance.”
Again urging western unity, Biden said, “it is much easier for the Kremlin to intimidate and threaten individual states than to negotiate with a strong and closely knit transatlantic community.”
Similarly, US partners must stand united against “economic abuses and coercion by the Chinese government that undermine the foundations of the international economic system,” he said.
“Chinese companies must meet the same standard” as US and European companies facing onerous restrictions on their presence in China, he said.
On Iran, Biden reiterated his promise to return to international negotiations with Tehran on its nuclear program, but said “we must address Iran’s destabilizing activities throughout the Middle East.
READ: Biden withdraws Trump’s restoration of UN sanctions on Iran
The Biden pivot is getting good reviews in Europe.
Speaking to reporters after the previous G7 virtual summit, Germany’s Merkel said “it is clear that multilateralism will once again have a stronger opportunity.”
“In particular, multilateralism is driven by the change in the United States government; the Biden government has already demonstrated this with its first decisions” to return to the Paris climate agreement and to once again support the World Organization. Health, he said.
He also echoed Biden’s warning about Russia, saying at the Munich conference “it is very important that we develop a transatlantic policy towards Russia.”
